How to Take Care of an Incision After Thyroid Surgery
Keep the wound clean and dry., Cleanse the incision area the day after surgery., Change your bandage as needed., Watch for signs of infection.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep the wound clean and dry.
One of the most important things to do after you have had thyroid surgery is to keep the wound clean and dry.
Follow your doctor’s instructions for wound care and bathing following your surgery.
Doing so may help prevent your wound from becoming infected and it may also help the wound to heal faster.Do not immerse the wound in water until it is fully healed.
For example, do not go swimming or submerge the wound while taking a bath.
Immediately following surgery, you may have a small drain tube exiting the skin of the neck near the thyroid incision site; it will help keep fluid from building up in your neck, fluid that could lead to infection and additional pain.
Your doctor should remove the drain tube prior to your discharge from the hospital once any drainage is clear and sparse. -
Step 2: Cleanse the incision area the day after surgery.
The morning after your surgery, you can take a shower and allow water and mild soap to run over your wound.
Do not scrub the wound or put pressure on it with high pressure water or your fingers.
Just allow some water to run over the incision site and cleanse it., Your doctor may instruct you to keep the wound covered with some light gauze held on with tape.
In this case, you may need to change your bandage once per day to keep the wound clean.Be gentle when you remove the old gauze as it may stick to your skin.
If it is stuck, use about a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide or saline to moisten the gauze and make it easier to remove the bandage.
Then use some cotton balls dipped in hydrogen peroxide or saline to gently clean away any dried blood on your skin before replacing the bandage., Surgical site infection in thyroid surgery is very rare as it is considered a “clean case,” with minimal chances of contamination.However, it is important to observe the wound after surgery for signs of infection and talk to your doctor right away if you notice any of these signs.
Signs that a wound may be infected include:
Redness, warmth or swelling at the site.
Fever greater than
100.5°F (38°C) Drainage or opening of the wound -
Step 3: Change your bandage as needed.
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Step 4: Watch for signs of infection.
Detailed Guide
One of the most important things to do after you have had thyroid surgery is to keep the wound clean and dry.
Follow your doctor’s instructions for wound care and bathing following your surgery.
Doing so may help prevent your wound from becoming infected and it may also help the wound to heal faster.Do not immerse the wound in water until it is fully healed.
For example, do not go swimming or submerge the wound while taking a bath.
Immediately following surgery, you may have a small drain tube exiting the skin of the neck near the thyroid incision site; it will help keep fluid from building up in your neck, fluid that could lead to infection and additional pain.
Your doctor should remove the drain tube prior to your discharge from the hospital once any drainage is clear and sparse.
The morning after your surgery, you can take a shower and allow water and mild soap to run over your wound.
Do not scrub the wound or put pressure on it with high pressure water or your fingers.
Just allow some water to run over the incision site and cleanse it., Your doctor may instruct you to keep the wound covered with some light gauze held on with tape.
In this case, you may need to change your bandage once per day to keep the wound clean.Be gentle when you remove the old gauze as it may stick to your skin.
If it is stuck, use about a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide or saline to moisten the gauze and make it easier to remove the bandage.
Then use some cotton balls dipped in hydrogen peroxide or saline to gently clean away any dried blood on your skin before replacing the bandage., Surgical site infection in thyroid surgery is very rare as it is considered a “clean case,” with minimal chances of contamination.However, it is important to observe the wound after surgery for signs of infection and talk to your doctor right away if you notice any of these signs.
Signs that a wound may be infected include:
Redness, warmth or swelling at the site.
Fever greater than
100.5°F (38°C) Drainage or opening of the wound
About the Author
Charlotte Brown
With a background in writing and publishing, Charlotte Brown brings 3 years of hands-on experience to every article. Charlotte believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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