Throat surgery treats a wide variety of conditions, from life-threatening cancers to chronic sore throats and breathing difficulties. Because throat surgery may be an option for many types of diseases, we’ve compiled some of the most common reasons throat surgery may be needed.

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The thyroid gland sits in the front part of the neck below and overlying the larynx or voice box. It secretes hormones that help regulate overall body metabolism and maintain calcium balance in the body. A common disorder of the thyroid is formation of a nodule. These can be solitary or multiple and may be solid or fluid-filled (cystic). Some nodules contain thyroid cancer but even benign ones can grow large enough to compress the trachea (windpipe) and/or esophagus (swallowing tube) causing difficulty breathing or swallowing. Fortunately the majority of thyroid nodules are noncancerous but the chance of a thyroid cancer is high enough that nodules should be addressed. Evaluation usually includes a blood test to determine the overall level of thyroid gland hormone production. A thyroid ultrasound scan is almost always done to assess the size, location, consistency of the nodule(s), and relationship to nearby structures. A needle biopsy is frequently performed to obtain cells for analysis and this may ...

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