Can half of the thyroid gland be removed?

Yes, in certain circumstances, a part of the thyroid gland can be removed, medically termed a hemithyroidectomy. This procedure is typically employed when there is a non-cancerous growth (enlarged nodular goiter), a single thyroid nodule requiring biopsy, or even certain thyroid cancers confined to just half of the gland.

Thyroidectomy, the total removal of the thyroid gland, is generally carried out for advanced thyroid cancers, recurrent goiters (a thyroid enlargement that persists after partial removal), or when both thyroid lobes are involved in various conditions.

Surgeons opt for preserving part of the thyroid whenever feasible since it aids in maintaining normal thyroid hormone production, thus mitigating the possibility of requiring lifelong hormone replacement therapy.