Intervention on the thyroid gland is usually done as the result of the appearance of a tumour on it. The most frequent operations consist of extirpating one of the lobules (hemithyroidectomy), the entire gland (total thyroidectomy) or most of it (subtotal thyroidectomy). In certain types of cancer, it is necessary to extirpate the lymph nodes found around gland.

Transoral thyroid surgery is a technique that avoids the appearance of a visible scar through an approach from behind the lower lip. This kind of intervention also decreases the intensity of post-operative pain preserving the standards of open or conventional surgery. It is particularly indicated in patients with poor wound healing or with a tendency to make keloids.