Thyroidectomy (TX)
| Available in: Rats and Mice | Anesthetics | Analgesic |
| Pre-Operative Procedures | Intra-Operative Care | Post-Operative Care |
Surgical Preparation
The animal is anesthetized. Sterile eye lubricant is placed in both eyes, and the throat is surgically prepared. The animal is placed in dorsal recumbency on a surgery board fitted with a sterile board drape. Analgesic is administered.
Surgical Description
To expose the thyroid, a small, ventral, midline incision is made to the skin just posterior to the chin papilla. Blunt dissection is used to separate the sternohyoideus muscle and the muscle is retracted. The isthmus of the thyroid is broken and blunt dissection is used to separate the right and left lobes of the thyroid from the trachea and surrounding tissue. The thyroid is removed. Bleeding is controlled with cotton-tipped applicators.
Surgical Closing
The incisions along the throat are closed with approved closing materials (suture or stainless steel clips), and the surgery sites are treated with an approved disinfectant followed by an alcohol swabbing.
Sham
A standard sham thyroidectomy model is prepared as described above with regards to surgical site preparation, dissection of the throat, exposure of the thyroid, closing, and surgical site disinfection; however, no tissue is removed.
