Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 9

says. "It was pushing on my windpipe.

"It's not a major surgery, and it's not

out in bed. My food goes down fairly

you'll probably see your surgeon once

well-my appetite is not back to where

afterward and then follow up with your

WHY
CHOOSE
UMMC
MIDTOWN
CAMPUS?

it was, but I can have a meal," she says.

endocrinologist or primary care physi-

At UMMC Midtown

cian to adjust your medication.

Campus, surgeons,

That's why the food wouldn't go down.

terribly painful," Dr. Gupta says. "Most

I was lucky it was caught in time."

people are off pain medication and back

Wingfield had surgery in May to

to work in a week." She notes that vocal

remove half of her thyroid. "I didn't have

cords typically are monitored during

to stay overnight, and now I'm good.

surgery to reduce the risk of changing

My neck feels better, and it's half the size

a patient's voice.

it was. I can sleep normally and stretch

Sometimes it's possible to remove
half the thyroid, as in Wingfield's case.

If you have thyroid removal surgery,

nuclear medicine experts

duce needed hormones. When the

DIAGNOSIS
WITHOUT SYMPTOMS

entire thyroid is removed, people need

Thyroid conditions might be diagnosed

a treatment plan for peo-

replacement medication. Otherwise

when a doctor feels nodules on the neck,

ple with thyroid condi-

they will face the symptoms of an

or when nodules show up on an imaging

tions. "We sit in the same

underactive thyroid.

study that was done for an unrelated

room and ask, 'What do

reason, like in a CT scan of the head or

you think from your per-

off thyroid surgery and deal with their

neck. In these cases, people may have

spective?'" says endocri-

symptoms. Younger women may be

no symptoms, or they might notice

nologist Kashif Munir, MD.

busy with career and family, so they

hoarseness or have difficulty swallowing.

"It leads to better patient

wait to address the problem. But she

Doctors will probably recommend an

care." He adds that

says sometimes a growing thyroid can

ultrasound exam of the thyroid.

a group of people with

suddenly block breathing and trigger

"Ultrasound has gotten a lot better over

expertise in this area

an emergency. "If the thyroid gland is

the years, and if it looks benign we can

working together helps

enlarged and you notice problems with

watch it, while if it doesn't look good we

ensure that the highest

swallowing or breathing or you need

will need to biopsy it," Dr. Munir says.

standards are being met.

The half that remains can often pro-

Dr. Gupta says people often put

extra pillows or to sleep on your side,

And sometimes thyroid problems are

and radiologists gather
together to develop

"As medicine gets

it's better to take care of it sooner,"

found in a blood screening in people

more complex and spe-

she says.

with no symptoms. Dr. Munir says in

cialized and there's more

those cases, treatment is still recom-

research, everyone is an

ring can be minimized, and incisions can

mended. That's because in time, an

expert in their field," says

be hidden in creases on the neck.

over- or underactive thyroid can affect

Dr. Munir. "Putting several

the heart and cause health problems.

heads together gives

An overactive thyroid can increase the

patients more options."

With newer surgical techniques, scar-

TREATMENT FOR CANCER
The majority of lumps in the thyroid

risk of osteoporosis, while an under-

are not cancerous. But if biopsy

active thyroid can lead to weight gain

UM Center for Diabetes

results or genetic testing does indi-

and abnormal cholesterol levels. 

and Endocrinology at

Patients coming to the

cate cancer, doctors will probably

UMMC Midtown Campus

recommend thyroid removal surgery.

can also get all the care

"With advanced genetic tests that
we offer at our center, we can figure
out if patients need surgery," Dr.
Munir says. For thyroid cancer, surgery is sometimes all the treatment
people need.

LEARN MORE
If you think you might have
a thyroid problem, make an
appointment to speak with an
endocrinologist at UMMC Midtown
Campus by calling 443-682-6800.

they need in one location: swallowing and
voice studies, ultrasounds,
biopsies, pathology and
surgical planning.

umm.edu/midtown | Fall 2017  9
http://www.umm.edu/midtown
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017
