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Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA

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Specializes in: General Surgery

Albany Medical College

Professional interests include: thyroid surgery, parathyroid surgery, endocrine surgery, and more.

14290 S. La Grange Road
Orland Park, IL 60462

1-888-824-0200

Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA is a general surgeon in Orland Park, IL specializing in general surgery. She graduated from Albany Medical College. Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA is affiliated with The University of Chicago Medicine, UChicago Medicine and UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.

Office Locations

Address:

14290 S. La Grange Road
Orland Park, IL 60462

Address:

5758 S. Maryland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637

Address:

5841 S Maryland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637

Some issues Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA can help you with:

Parathyroid Surgery

Parathyroid surgery is a procedure done to identify and remove diseased parathyroid glands. These tiny glands in the neck regulate calcium levels in the body. Occasionally, one or more of the parathyroid glands can become hyperactive, swelling and causing too much calcium to be moved from the bones to the bloodstream. This is called hyperparathyroidism, and it can cause problems including weakness, nervous system disorders, and kidney problems. To treat hyperparathyroidism, overactive parathyroid glands are removed.

One kind of parathyroid surgery is called bilateral neck exploration. The surgeon finds and looks at all of the parathyroid glands on both sides of the neck, visually identifying any that are diseased and removing them. Minimally invasive, or focused, parathyroidectomy is done to remove a single diseased gland. The gland causing problems is identified before surgery using localization techniques such as hormonal or radiology testing. Since in most cases only one gland is causing problems, focused parathyroidectomy is a common alternative to bilateral neck exploration. Both procedures are safe and effective.

In the rare case that all four glands are diseased, the surgeon will either remove three and a half glands and leave one half in place, or all four will be removed and part of one gland will be transplanted into the forearm. This is done to keep calcium levels where they should be.

After surgery, patients will have a bandage on their neck and a sore throat. Patients may only want liquids or very soft food for the first day, and thy may be asked to take calcium supplements for a while until their remaining parathyroid glands begin functioning well again. Recovery is fairly quick, and within a few days patients should be feeling like themselves again.

Thyroid Surgery

Thyroid surgery is a procedure to remove all or part of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the lower neck that regulates the hormones that manage metabolism. Thyroid surgery, also known as thyroidectomy, treats thyroid disorders such as hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), goiters (noncancerous thyroid inflammation), and thyroid cancer. It may also be used to remove thyroid nodules or cysts that have a risk of becoming cancerous.

Both hypothyroidism and goiters are caused by an autoimmune reaction where the body produces antibodies that attack the thyroid cells for unknown reasons. The thyroid reacts by releasing too little or too much T3 and T4 thyroid hormones, impairing thyroid function and causing irregular metabolism. Goiters develop from the autoimmune reaction causing continued antibody damage to the thyroid over time. Thyroid goiters are large, swollen lumps that can be felt near the base of the neck. Obstructive goiters can cause pain, coughing, and abnormal breathing. Hypothyroidism may also be caused by iodine deficiency, as iodine is needed to produce thyroid hormones.

The exact cause of thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules or cysts is unknown. While thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules or cysts can occur in individuals with thyroid disorders, they are not associated with a malfunctioning thyroid.

Physicians may prescribe thyroid surgery if blood tests reveal patients' thyroid stimulating hormones (TSA) are outside of the acceptable range, indicating a malfunctioning thyroid. Thyroid biopsies (tissue samples) and tests for thyroid-attacking antibodies are also criteria for surgery.

An ENT or general surgeon performs thyroid surgery. While a patient is placed under anesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision at the center of the neck and removes the thyroid gland. Two alternative methods of thyroid surgery are transoral (incision through the mouth) and endoscopic, where a surgeon operates a video camera for live footage to help guide the removal process.

Thyroid surgery requires minimal aftercare. Most patients recover quickly and resume normal activities within a few days of surgery. However, thyroid surgery patients must take daily synthetic thyroid medication (levothyroxine) for life to replace their removed thyroid.

doctor visit	30

**Age**
From 65 to 74	32
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	29
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	21
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	33
Dementia	0
Cancer	62

doctor visit	29

**Age**
From 65 to 74	40
From 75 to 84	16
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	32
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	22
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	25
Dementia	0
Cancer	55

doctor visit	60

**Age**
From 65 to 74	45
From 75 to 84	20
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	59
High Cholesterol	64
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	25
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	16
Asthma	19
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	26
Dementia	0
Cancer	43

doctor visit	34

**Age**
From 65 to 74	38
From 75 to 84	14
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	63
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	20
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	31
Dementia	0
Cancer	42

doctor visit	51

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	59
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	42
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	21

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	56
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	19
Osteoperosis	14
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	32
Dementia	0
Cancer	30

doctor visit	70
endocrine surgery	10
neck surgery	10

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2016 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA treated as a general surgeon in Orland Park, IL were endocrine surgery and neck surgery.

doctor visit	48
endocrine surgery	10
neck surgery	10

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2016 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA.

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	0
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	5
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	5
85 and over	0
Less than 65	2
65 to 74	19

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA From 2016 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, cancer and diabetes.

Hypertension	31
High Cholesterol	30
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	14
Depression	11
Chronic Kidney Disease	10
Asthma	3
Osteoporosis	1
Heart Failure	1
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	3
Diabetes	14
Atrial Fibrillation	1
Cancer	23
Dementia	0

Education & Training

Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA graduated from Albany Medical College. She completed residency at Lahey Clinic. She has a state license in Illinois.

Medical School: Albany Medical College

Residency: Lahey Clinic

Licensed In: Illinois

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

The University of Chicago Medicine

UChicago Medicine

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Megan Kunz Applewhite, MD, MA. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.	$38 LUTONIX $38

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$38

Biography

Dr. Megan Applewhite's medical specialty is general surgery. Dr. Applewhite's areas of expertise consist of endocrine cancer, thyroid surgery, and parathyroid surgery. She is professionally affiliated with The University of Chicago Medicine. She obtained her medical school training at Albany Medical College and performed her residency at Lahey Clinic.