Best Thyroidectomy Doctor in Dubai – Dr. Muhammad Jabbr

If you have been told you need part or all of your thyroid removed, it is normal to feel nervous. This guide walks you through a thyroidectomy step by step, from the tests before surgery to the day you go back to work. It also shows how a thyroidectomy doctor in Dubai, such as Dr. Muhammad Jabbr, looks after you at each stage.

Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon at Medcare Hospital Al Safa, with more than 20 years of experience and more than 3,000 ENT procedures. He is one of the best surgeons in Dubai to see for a thyroid operation. Your own plan may differ, so use this page to prepare questions.

Will I have half or all of my thyroid removed?

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland at the front of your neck. It has two lobes joined by a thin bridge called the isthmus. There are two main operations.

• Hemithyroidectomy (lobectomy): one lobe is removed, often with the isthmus. The other half keeps making hormone. The risk to calcium levels is low.
• Total thyroidectomy: the whole gland is removed. Your body can no longer make thyroid hormone, so you take a replacement tablet daily for life. Calcium also needs closer checks at first.

The choice depends on your scans, biopsy results, hormone levels and the size of the gland. Sometimes half is removed first, and the other half later if the results show it is needed. You can read more on our thyroid surgery in Dubai page.

What tests will I need before a thyroidectomy?

• Blood tests: thyroid function, calcium, sometimes vitamin D, plus a routine blood count and clotting.
• Neck ultrasound: to map the gland and the lymph nodes. A CT scan is sometimes added for a large goitre that reaches behind the breastbone.
• Vocal cord check: a quick look with a thin camera through the nose. It records how your vocal cords move, so any later change can be compared.
• Anaesthetic review: a heart tracing (ECG) if needed and a review of your medicines.

Tell your team if you take blood thinners, aspirin or herbal supplements, as some may need to be paused on medical advice. An overactive thyroid usually needs to be settled with medicine before the operation.

What happens on the day of surgery?

You will usually be asked not to eat for about six hours beforehand. Follow the exact fasting instructions you are given.

You have a general anaesthetic, so you are fully asleep. The surgeon makes a cut low in the neck, usually in a natural skin crease so the scar is easier to hide. During the operation, the surgeon finds and protects two key structures:

• the recurrent laryngeal nerves, which move your vocal cords
• the parathyroid glands, usually four tiny glands behind the thyroid that control calcium

Nerve monitoring may be used to help locate the voice nerve. The operation often takes one to three hours. The skin is closed with dissolving stitches, glue or small clips. A thin drain is sometimes left for a day. The removed tissue is sent to the laboratory.

How long will I stay in hospital?

Most people stay one night. Some stay two nights after a total thyroidectomy so calcium can be checked. A few people go home the same day after a half operation.

When you wake up, your throat will feel sore, partly from the breathing tube. Swallowing may feel tight for a week or two. You can usually drink a few hours later and eat soft food that evening. Simple painkillers are normally enough. Nurses check your neck often in the first hours to make sure there is no swelling.

Will my voice change after a thyroidectomy?

A short-lived change is common. You may sound husky, struggle to project, or find your voice fades by evening. Singing and high notes usually feel it most. For most people it recovers within days to weeks, though it can take a few months.

Early changes often come from swelling, the breathing tube or a bruised nerve. A lasting change is uncommon and usually means the nerve has not fully recovered. If your voice has not improved after a few weeks, your vocal cords are checked again, and voice therapy often helps. A throat and voice specialist can assess the vocal cords in detail. Speak normally, sip water often and avoid shouting for a couple of weeks.

Why are my calcium levels checked?

The parathyroid glands sit very close to the thyroid. Even when kept safe, they can be "stunned" by surgery and work less for a while, so your calcium drops. This is more likely after a total thyroidectomy. A blood test, often the morning after surgery, checks your level. Tell your nurse straight away if you notice:

• tingling around the lips, fingertips or toes
• muscle cramps or twitching

Low calcium is usually treated with calcium tablets, and sometimes vitamin D. Most people need them for only a few weeks. Long-term low calcium is uncommon.

Will I need thyroid hormone tablets?

After a total thyroidectomy, yes. You take levothyroxine once a day, usually in the morning on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes before breakfast or coffee. Keep it at least four hours apart from calcium or iron tablets. About six weeks later, a blood test checks the dose. Once it is stable, most people feel well and need only a yearly test.

After a hemithyroidectomy, many people need no tablets, because the remaining half makes enough hormone. Your levels are checked after a few weeks to be sure. If the operation was for thyroid cancer, any extra treatment is discussed once the laboratory report is ready. Our head and neck cancer surgery page explains how that care is planned.

How do I look after my scar?

• Keep the wound clean and dry for the first few days, or as advised.
• Do not pick at glue or scabs. Let them come off on their own.
• Once healed, often after two to three weeks, gently massage the scar with an unperfumed moisturiser.
• Outdoors, cover the healed line with sunscreen or a light scarf for about a year.

In the early months the line can look red and slightly raised, and the skin around it may feel numb. Feeling slowly returns, and in most people the scar softens and blends into the neck crease within a year.

When can I go back to work and normal life?

• Walking: from the first day.
• Desk work: often after one to two weeks.
• Driving: when you can turn your head fully and are off strong painkillers, usually after one to two weeks.
• Lifting, gym and swimming: usually after two to four weeks.
• Voice-heavy jobs, such as teaching, may need a little longer.

Feeling tired for a few weeks is normal.

Which symptoms after a thyroidectomy need urgent care?

Serious problems are rare, but get help quickly if you notice:

• new or fast-growing swelling in the neck
• noisy breathing, or trouble breathing or swallowing saliva
• strong tingling or cramps that do not settle
• fever with a red or leaking wound

For breathing difficulty, call 998 or go to the nearest emergency department straight away.

Your thyroidectomy doctor in Dubai: Dr. Muhammad Jabbr

Dr. Muhammad Jabbr holds MD, MS, DOHNS (England), the European Board ORL-HNS and the Arab Board ORL-HNS. As a head and neck surgeon, he is trained in neck operations, including thyroid surgery. He sees adults and children, and can guide you from the first scan to your follow-up visits. If a lump has not yet been fully assessed, you may first need a neck lump assessment.

Book an appointment

To talk about your thyroid operation, book online with Dr. Muhammad Jabbr or call +971 52 751 7811. The clinic is at the ENT Department, Medcare Hospital, Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1, Dubai.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

A thyroidectomy is a carefully planned operation. Most people go home within a day or two, their voice settles, and life returns to normal within a few weeks. If you would like a clear explanation of your plan, Dr. Muhammad Jabbr and his team at Medcare Hospital Al Safa are happy to help.