Head and Neck Surgery

Head and neck surgery is the surgical branch of ear, nose and throat medicine dealing with lumps, tumours and structural problems of the neck, thyroid, salivary glands, mouth, throat and voice box. Surgeons work closely with oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, plastic surgeons and speech therapists.

Many neck lumps are benign and cured by one operation. Cancers of this region need staging and a decision by a multidisciplinary tumour board, because surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are combined differently for each site, and treatment affects speech, swallowing and appearance.

Conditions this service looks after

• Thyroid nodules, goitre and thyroid cancer
• Parathyroid adenoma
• Parotid and submandibular gland tumours and stones
• Persistent neck lumps and enlarged lymph nodes
• Cancers of the mouth, tongue, throat and larynx
• Congenital neck cysts such as thyroglossal and branchial cysts
• Skin cancers of the face and scalp needing wide excision
• Vocal cord lesions and airway narrowing

Tests you may be offered

• Flexible nasoendoscopy: A thin camera through the nose views the throat and vocal cords in the clinic.
• Neck ultrasound with fine needle aspiration: First test for most thyroid and neck lumps.
• CT, MRI and PET-CT: Show tumour extent and spread for staging.
• Panendoscopy and biopsy: Examination under anaesthesia to map and sample a throat tumour.
• Thyroid and parathyroid blood tests, sestamibi scan: Guide gland surgery.

Treatments available

• Thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy: With nerve monitoring to protect the voice.
• Parotidectomy: Removal of a salivary tumour while preserving the facial nerve.
• Neck dissection: Removal of lymph node groups at risk of cancer spread.
• Transoral laser or robotic surgery: Removes selected throat and larynx tumours through the mouth.
• Laryngectomy and reconstruction: Major cancer surgery, often with free flap reconstruction and voice rehabilitation.
• Excision of congenital cysts: Including the Sistrunk procedure for thyroglossal cysts.

When to ask for a specialist opinion

• A neck lump lasting more than 3 weeks
• Hoarseness lasting more than 3 weeks, especially in smokers
• A mouth ulcer or patch that has not healed in 3 weeks
• Pain or difficulty swallowing, or one-sided ear pain with a normal ear
• A thyroid nodule with suspicious ultrasound features

Travelling to Türkiye for this care

Benign thyroid, parathyroid, parotid and cyst surgery fits a planned trip of about 7 to 10 days, with pathology available before or shortly after you leave. For cancer, a visit can give a rapid work-up, a tumour board opinion and surgery, but radiotherapy lasts 6 to 7 weeks and rehabilitation of speech and swallowing continues for months, so coordinate with an oncology team at home before travelling. Airway trouble or a rapidly growing mass needs local urgent care.

Send your reports, scans and a short history and a Clinic-Y coordinator replies within 24 hours with suitable teams and written, all-inclusive proposals side by side. Reviewing your case is free.

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