Best Doctors in India for Thyroid Nodules Treatment
Best Hospitals in India for Thyroid Nodules Treatment
Hospital Highlights:
- Apollo Hospitals is a private healthcare group in India, with its headquarters based in Chennai. Established in 1983 by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, the group offers a wide range of medical treatments and services across various specialties.
- It is renowned for emphasizing innovation and utilizing cutting-edge medical technologies into patient treatment.
- Known as India’s first corporate hospital, Apollo Hospitals is often credited for pioneering the private healthcare revolution in the country.
- With clinics and hospitals located all throughout India, Apollo Hospitals is a nationwide healthcare organization. Its presence can also be found in foreign countries.
- Preventive health examinations, medical and surgical treatment, and diagnostic centres are just a few of the services that the Apollo group provides.
- The group has several centres of expertise, including Cardiac Sciences, Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Emergency Care, Cancer Care, and Organ Transplantation.
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- RIMC is a multi-specialty hospital in a sprawling area of 36 acres located in Chromepet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
- The facility has 450 beds including 130 critical care beds, 9 operating rooms, modern reference laboratories and radiology services, and is conveniently located near road, rail and air transportation.
- RIMC is led and managed by world-renowned physicians committed to healthcare.
- RIMC offers the broadest range of clinical care, education, and research. The hospital offers state-of-the-art technology and modern treatment facilities designed to provide health care at an affordable cost.
- Rela Institute is driven by patient needs, comfort and confidence.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh is a multi-super specialty hospital that strives to provide world-class patient care by leaving no stone unturned.
- Fortis, Shalimar Bagh, with 262 beds and a 7.34-acre footprint, provides the best level of medical care through its team of doctors, nurses, technicians, and management professionals.
- City: Bengaluru, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 2007, the Apollo Hospitals Bangalore is a 300-bed multispecialty hospital situated in Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore.
- Equipped with the state-of-the-art technology, it is a leading hospital dedicated to providing healthcare needs to patients with compassion and expertise.
- It is the first hospital to have completed the highest number of Robot Assisted Heart Surgeries in India.
- Over the years, it has successfully conducted some of the rarest medical procedures such as spinal angiolipoma excision, autologous chondrocyte implantations, and tibial tuberosity shift with MPSL reconstruction.
- The Apollo Hospitals Bangalore has the reputation of performing the greatest series of airway stents in the country.
- Additionally, the hospital is known for providing comprehensive treatment in specialties such as gastroenterology, urology, gynecology, oncology, colorectal surgery, etc.
- The “The Minimal Access Surgery Centre” (MASC), one of Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore’s premier Centres of Excellence, is devoted to the use of minimally invasive surgical procedures.
- In 2013, THE WEEK-A C Nielsen, Best Hospital Survey ranked Apollo Hospitals Bangalore as the 2nd best multi-speciality hospital in Bangalore.
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Gleneagles Global Hospital The 450-bed facility comprises of 17-stories, housing state-of-the-art infrastructure, and advanced medical care facilities.
- The hospital offers end-to-end clinical, surgical, and diagnostic services. It is equipped with a team of eminent medical professionals aided by qualified nurses and medical staff
- The Hospital offers advanced Endoscopic procedures, Hepatobiliary and Liver Surgeries, Surgical and Medical Gastroenterology, Bariatric Surgery, and Robotic surgery.
- The hospital is a center of excellence for Orthopedics, Joint Replacement, Knee Replacement, and Hip Replacement surgery.
- City: Hyderabad, India
Hospital Highlights:
- CARE Hospitals were established in the year 2000, by CARE Group.
- The multispecialty hospital has 435 beds, including 120 critical care beds, with an annual inflow of 180000 outpatients and 16,000 in-patients.
- The hospital provides specialty medical services in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Nephrology, and Urology.
- The hospital has the first dual source, 128 slice CT scanner (for high precision cardiac imaging) – the first of its kind in south India.
- The hospital offers a wide range of accommodation facilities for the convenience of its varied patient base, ranging from general wards to super deluxe rooms.
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital in Mulund is a 315-bed multi-speciality tertiary care hospital with five JCI accreditations that offers a wide variety of diagnostic and treatment services. The Fortis Hospital in Mulund delivers patient-centred treatment with cutting-edge technology, highly skilled and experienced surgeons, and paramedical staff.
- This institution houses Maharashtra’s largest multi-organ transplant centre. It is also the first heart transplant centre in western India to conduct 100 or more consecutive heart transplants in under four years. It is the only hospital in the city to have multi-organ transplants and has handled the youngest patient for angioplasty. Fortis Hospital Mulund now boasts the first advanced surgical robot in central Mumbai.
- Cardiology and heart surgery, urology, nephrology, neurosciences, orthopaedics, digestive care, emergency and critical care, and maternity care are among the services provided by the hospital.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Manipal Hospitals, Dwarka, is a super-specialty hospital in Dwarka, New Delhi, which is a part of Manipal Hospitals Group.
- The hospital aims to provide the best treatment on par with international standards at a fraction of the cost.
- Equipped with 380 beds, the hospital is also one of the new age hospitals which are equipped fully with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge technology as well as the latest and advanced clinical practices. The hospital also has 13 modular Operation theatres with 118 beds which are solely meant for critical care.
- The hospital comprises internationally acclaimed doctors and highly professional and experienced hospital and medical staff who are able to provide preventive, therapeutic, and diagnostic services all under one roof.
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Located in Chennai, India, MGM Healthcare is a top multispecialty hospital that provides all medical services under one roof.
- Since its founding in 2019, MGM Healthcare has quickly become a leading national referral centre, creating several innovative flagship initiatives.
- MGM Healthcare combines next-generation medical and digital technologies to provide better patient results.
- With 12 centres of excellence, more than 400 inpatient beds, 100 intensive care unit beds, and 24/7 emergency care, MGM Healthcare leaves no chance in redefining the patient experience in Chennai.
- MGM Healthcare boasts 250+ expert doctors across 30+ departments, including Cardiology, Pulmonology, Neurology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and more.
- They house 12 specialized Centres of Excellence, including Neurosciences, Orthopaedics, and Multi-Organ Transplantation.
- Their team of doctors, nurses, and paramedics works together to give every patient individualized treatment.
Hospital Highlights:
- Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre is India’s premier multi-speciality tertiary care hospital and has been recognised as a global medical excellence centre.
- Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre has built an unrivalled level of trust with its patients over the years, thanks to a solid foundation that comprises cutting-edge facilities, the best medical competence, research, education, and charity endeavours.
- The hospital is quite proud of the fact that it now serves patients from all kinds of backgrounds, not just from the United States but from all around the world.
- The hospital has a total of 323 beds, one of the largest Intensive Care Units (ICUs), 12 Operation Theatres with modern amenities, over 300 consultants, and almost 1,800 personnel.
Thyroid Nodules
Thyroid nodules are lumps that can form within your thyroid, which can be filled with either solid or liquid. They are relatively common, but only in rare cases, they might be cancerous.
Generally, most thyroid nodules are not serious and don’t cause any symptoms. More than ninety percent of thyroids are known to be benign or non-cancerous. Only a small percentage of them are cancerous.
You may never develop any noticeable symptoms unless it becomes large enough to press against your windpipe. Thyroid nodules are mostly discovered during imaging procedures such as CT scan or MRI scan, done to diagnose something else.
Symptoms
You might have a thyroid nodule and not notice any symptoms. However, if the nodule gets large enough, you might develop:
- An enlarged thyroid gland termed as a goiter
- Hoarse voice
- Swallowing difficulties
- Breathing difficulties
- Pain at the base of the neck
If your thyroid nodule is leading to excess production of thyroid hormones, you might develop symptoms of hyperthyroidism, which can include:
- Rapid, irregular heartbeat
- Unexplained weight loss
- Nervousness
- Muscle weakness
- Difficulty sleeping
Sometimes, thyroid nodules also develop in people having Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This is an autoimmune thyroid condition that can lead to an increase in the risk of developing an underactive thyroid i.e. hypothyroidism. Symptoms of this condition include:
- Persistent fatigue
- Unexplained weight gain
- Dry skin and hair
- Constipation
- Sensitivity to cold
- Brittle nails
Causes
There are several conditions which can lead to nodules developing in your thyroid gland, such as:
Overgrowth of normal thyroid tissue- An overgrowth of normal thyroid tissue is generally termed as a thyroid adenoma. Although it is unclear why this occurs, it’s not cancerous and is not considered serious unless it can lead to some bothersome symptoms from its size. Some thyroid adenomas can lead to hyperthyroidism.
Iodine deficiency- If there is a lack of iodine in your diet, it may sometimes cause your thyroid gland to develop thyroid nodules as well.
Thyroid cyst- Fluid-filled cavities or cysts in the thyroid generally result from degenerating thyroid adenomas. Most often, solid components get mixed with fluid in thyroid cysts. Though cysts are mostly noncancerous, occasionally they may contain cancerous solid components.
Multinodular goiter- The term goiter is used to refer to an enlargement of the thyroid gland, which may be caused by a thyroid disorder or iodine deficiency. A multinodular goiter has multiple distinct nodules within the goiter, and its cause is less clear.
Chronic inflammation of the thyroid- Hashimoto’s disease, a type of thyroid disorder, can also lead to thyroid inflammation and also lead to enlarged nodules. This is often associated with hypothyroidism.
Thyroid cancer– The chances of having a cancerous nodule are small. However, a nodule that is hard and large or leads to pain or discomfort is generally more worrisome. You may want to get it checked by a doctor.
Certain factors can increase your risk of getting thyroid cancer, such as having a family history of thyroid or any other such endocrine cancers. Having a history of radiation exposure might also increase the risk.
Diagnosis
Physical exam
In most cases, a patient is not aware of a nodule until a doctor finds it during a general physical exam. They may be able to feel the nodule as well.
If they suspect a thyroid nodule, they will probably refer the patient to an endocrinologist, a doctor specializing in all aspects of the endocrine (hormone) system, including the thyroid.
Your endocrinologist will want to learn if you:
- Have a family history of thyroid nodules or any thyroid problems
- Underwent radiation treatment on your neck or head as an infant or child
Various tests
One more test might be required to diagnose the condition. Some of these tests might include:
Thyroid scan
Thyroid scan, to learn if your nodule is hot, cold, or warm
Ultrasound
Thyroid ultrasound, for examining the structure of the nodule
Blood tests
Blood tests, to check your levels of thyroid hormones as well as thyroid-stimulating hormone
Fine needle aspiration
Fine needle aspiration, to collect a sample of the nodule so that it can be tested in the lab
Treatment
Your treatment options are generally going to depend on the size and type of thyroid nodule that you may have.
If your nodule is not cancerous and is not causing any problems, then your endocrinologist might decide that treatment is not required at all. Instead, they are going to closely monitor the nodule with regular office visits and ultrasounds.
Nodules that start as benign may sometimes turn cancerous, though it is usually rare. However, your endocrinologist is likely going to perform biopsies occasionally to rule out the possibility.
Radioactive iodine or surgery
If your nodule is hot or overproducing thyroid hormones, your endocrinologist is probably going to use radioactive iodine or surgery to eliminate it. If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of hyperthyroidism, this will resolve the symptoms. However, if too much of your thyroid is destroyed or removed in the process, synthetic thyroid hormones might be required on an ongoing basis.
Medications
As an alternative to radioactive iodine or surgery, thyroid-blocking medications might also be used to treat a hot nodule.
In the past, there were doctors who used high doses of thyroid hormones in an attempt to shrink the thyroid nodules. This practice has been mostly abandoned as it was mostly ineffective.
Fine needle aspiration
However, thyroid hormones may sometimes be needed for people who are having an underactive thyroid.
Your endocrinologist can use fine needle aspiration as well, for draining your nodule if it’s filled with fluid.
Complications
Certain complications which are associated with thyroid nodules include:
Problems breathing or swallowing- Large nodules or a multinodular goiter might interfere with activities like breathing and swallowing.
Hyperthyroidism- Problems might also occur when a nodule or goiter produces thyroid hormone, which eventually leads to an excess amount of the hormone in the body. Hyperthyroidism can therefore lead you to weight loss, muscle weakness, heat intolerance, as well as anxiousness or irritability.
Potential complications of hyperthyroidism also include weak bones, an irregular heartbeat, and thyrotoxic crisis, a rare but life-threatening intensification of signs and symptoms which generally needs immediate medical attention.
Problems related to thyroid nodule surgery- If your doctor recommends surgery to remove a nodule, it is likely that you will need thyroid hormone replacement therapy for the rest of your life.