Will thyroid cysts recur after surgery?

Written by Zhao Xin Lan
Endocrinology
Updated on March 03, 2025
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Thyroid cysts refer to fluid-filled sac-like structures that occur in the thyroid gland. Typically, thyroid cysts do not exhibit any clinical symptoms. However, if they continue to grow, there is a risk of bleeding within the cyst. Therefore, when the cyst is larger than 3 centimeters, surgical treatment is often recommended. Generally, surgical removal is quite safe and reliable, and the prognosis after surgery is usually good with a low risk of recurrence. However, there is still a chance of recurrence, and if it recurs, surgery can be conducted again. Hence, thyroid cysts are relatively mild and benign lesions. If the cyst is smaller than 3 centimeters, alcohol sclerotherapy can also be performed.

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Written by Zhao Xin Lan
Endocrinology
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What should I do if my thyroid cyst is painful?

Thyroid cysts generally do not have any clinical symptoms, but if untreated and continuously growing, there is a risk of hemorrhage within the cyst. Therefore, when a thyroid cyst becomes painful, it may be due to excessive internal pressure and bleeding inside the cyst, causing pain. At this point, it is necessary to go to the hospital emergency department for a comprehensive thyroid ultrasound to observe the size of the cyst, and to provide emergency surgical treatment or local puncture to aspirate the blood and relieve pain.

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Written by Zhang Li
Endocrinology
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Do thyroid cysts require surgery?

Thyroid cysts are relatively common in clinical practice. Whether surgery is necessary depends on two factors. On one hand, it depends on whether the cyst is malignant. If the ultrasound reveals small calcifications within the cyst, or other signs of malignancy, then a fine needle aspiration of the thyroid should be carried out for a pathological examination. If the cyst is confirmed to be malignant, surgery is generally recommended. However, if the examination indicates that the thyroid cyst is benign with a low malignancy level, surgery is usually not required. However, if the thyroid cyst is large, affects appearance, causes significant swallowing difficulties or hinders neck movement, surgery can also be considered.

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Written by Zhao Xin Lan
Endocrinology
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Can people with thyroid cysts eat seaweed?

Thyroid cysts generally do not show any symptoms clinically and are mostly benign. They are usually solitary, but occasionally multiple cysts could be present. Currently, the exact cause of thyroid cysts is not completely understood. Some scholars believe that the formation of thyroid cysts is related to iodine deficiency. Others suggest that in areas with a high incidence of thyroid cysts, the iodine content is also relatively high, indicating that both exceptionally low or high levels of iodine could potentially be a cause of thyroid cysts. Seaweed is a food high in iodine. Eating seaweed occasionally should not have a significant impact, but consuming seaweed daily could lead to excessive iodine levels in the body, which is not advisable during periods of thyroid cyst affliction.

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Written by Zhao Xin Lan
Endocrinology
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Can people with thyroid cysts eat sea fish?

The exact cause of thyroid cysts is not very clear, but some scholars believe it is related to iodine metabolism. Therefore, in areas where iodine is particularly lacking or particularly abundant, the incidence of thyroid cysts tends to increase. Hence, the diet should avoid both too low and too high iodine intake. As for eating sea fish, occasional consumption should be acceptable. However, eating sea fish daily may lead to excessive iodine intake, potentially causing further development of the cysts.

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Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
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How to treat thyroid cystic tumors?

Thyroid cysts refer to fluid-filled sac-like formations or lumps found in the thyroid, generally round in shape, typically painless or only mildly painful, and move up and down with swallowing. Most are solitary nodules, with multiple nodules being less common. Most thyroid cysts do not exhibit obvious clinical symptoms unless the cyst is large or there is bleeding within the cyst, which may lead to symptoms of compression such as pain, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, and hoarseness. Therefore, the treatment of thyroid cysts primarily involves understanding their nature. If a thyroid cyst is malignant, prompt surgical removal should be undertaken; if benign, generally it is sufficient to monitor the cyst through follow-up observations.