Voice Changes After Thyroid Surgery; A Prospective Cohort Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56056/amj.2025.331Keywords:
Objective voice changes, Post-thyroidectomy voice change, Recurrent laryngeal nerve, Subjective voice changeAbstract
Background and objectives: Voice changes (dysphonia) after thyroid surgery is an important complication that may have significant occupational, aesthetic, psychosocial and economic consequences on the patient. Two pairs of nerves supply the larynx, the recurrent laryngeal nerves and superior laryngeal nerves, which are susceptible to damage during thyroid surgery. The objectives of this study were to document the incidence, type, nature, severity, cause, and duration of voice complications after thyroid surgery.
Methods: The prospective cohort study included 100 patients who had thyroidectomy at the Sulaimani Teaching Hospital in Sulaimani City. The study carried out from January 2010 to December 2010. A special questionnaire Designed, which, included the following items: preoperative history (including age, sex, occupation, and professional voice user status), preoperative examination (encompassing local and general assessments), preoperative investigations check-up of vocal cords, intraoperative assessment by the anesthetist during extubation, and postoperative evaluations conducted by the researcher in the immediate, early, and late stages.
Results: The participant’s age range was 20-75 years, mean age 38.0 ± 10.5 years, with 88 women and 12 men. Immediately after the first postoperative week, voice changes were observed in 15.0% of the patients. Subjective voice changes (non neurogenic) account for 10.0% and objective changes account for 5.0% At three months of follow-up, Subjective voice changes were observed in 1.0% of the patients, with objective voice changes accounting for 4.0%. Finally, after six to 12 months, objective voice changes were observed in 2.0% of the patients, the result was not signifint statistically.
Conclusion: Objective voice change complaints require precise laryngeal nerve identification and protection durig surgery. These findings show that rigorous surgical procedures and thorough pre- and postoperative vocal examinations are needed to reduce risks and control long-term effects. Subjective change lesions were more prevalent than objective lesions.
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