A surgical procedure to remove half of the thyroid gland.
From hemi- (half) + thyroid (from Greek thyra meaning shield + eidos meaning form) + -ectomy (meaning surgical removal). This surgical term developed in the late 1800s as thyroid surgery became more refined.
A hemithyroidectomy is when surgeons remove just one side of your thyroid gland instead of the whole thing—this is often safer because you still have the other half working, which many patients don't even notice is gone.
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