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Patient-perceived dysphagia and voice change post thyroid surgery: a telephone questionnaire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2023

Andrew Mowat Open the ORCID record for Andrew Mowat [Opens in a new window] ,
Pardip Sandhar ,
Jacqueline Chan  and
Mriganka De
Andrew Mowat*
Affiliation:
Otolaryngology, Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, UK
Pardip Sandhar
Affiliation:
Otolaryngology, Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, UK
Jacqueline Chan
Affiliation:
Otolaryngology, Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, UK
Mriganka De
Affiliation:
Otolaryngology, Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, UK
*
Corresponding author: Andrew Mowat; Email: andrewmowat@live.com
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Abstract

Objective

This study analyses the incidence of subjectively experienced dysphagia and voice change in post-thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy patients without recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy.

Methods

A total of 400 patients were invited to participate in a telephone questionnaire based on the Dysphagia Handicap Index and Voice Handicap Index. At 6–24 months following surgery, participants were divided into: post-thyroid surgery (total, hemi-, parathyroidectomy) groups and controls (other ENT procedures). A total of 254 responses were received (127 following thyroid surgery, 127 controls).

Results

Twenty-two per cent of post-thyroidectomy patients had a Voice Handicap Index score of more than 3, compared to 15 per cent of parathyroid patients and 4 per cent of controls. The mean Dysphagia Handicap Index score for patients post thyroidectomy and hemi-thyroidectomy was 2.0. Parathyroidectomy patients had a mean Dysphagia Handicap Index score of 1.3, higher than controls at 1.0.

Conclusion

Dysphagia and voice alteration are common following thyroid surgery, even in the absence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Both deficits occur more frequently following thyroid surgery than parathyroid surgery.

Keywords

Dysphagiadysphoniathyroid
Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , First View , pp. 1 - 5
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED

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Footnotes

Andrew Mowat takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

Presented orally at the British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons annual meeting, 7–8 October 2021, Leeds, UK, and at the 2021 West Midlands Surgical Society autumn meeting, 19 November 2021, Keele, UK.

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