Endocrine surgery focuses on diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands. This relatively new specialty merges technical expertise with working knowledge of the physiologic changes associated with hormone excess and deficiency. In other words, endocrine surgery is inherently multidisciplinary in nature.
Endocrine surgery is an uncommon specialty, with only approximately 200 active practitioners in the United States and an additional 100 abroad.
Due to the relative scarcity of endocrine surgical expertise in many areas, the bulk of endocrine procedures are performed by surgeons with no specific interest in the field. However, superior outcomes are achieved when endocrine procedures are performed by endocrine specialists.
