There are various types of thyroid surgery that may be performed. The type of surgery chosen depends on the nature of a patient’s illness. Surgical options include:

• Biopsy or lumpectomy. A small part of the thyroid gland is removed. It usually is performed to obtain a small piece of tissue that can be analyzed in a laboratory. Surgical biopsy is sometimes needed to follow up a simpler procedure called fine-needle aspiration biopsy, in which a tissue sample is removed with a very fine needle. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy can generally be performed in the physician’s office.
  
  
• Lobectomy. Removal of half the thyroid gland.
  
  
• Subtotal thyroidectomy. Removal of all but a small amount of tissue on each side of the thyroid.
  
  
• Near-total thyroidectomy. Removal of nearly all the thyroid, with just 1 centimeter of tissue left on one side.
  
  
• Total thyroidectomy. Removal of the entire thyroid.

In addition, some patients with Graves’ disease, a common type of hyperthyroidism may have a severe form of an eye condition called Graves’ ophthalmopathy. These patients may be advised to undergo surgery on the eye muscles, eyelids or skull.