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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 December 2023
This study analyses the incidence of subjectively experienced dysphagia and voice change in post-thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy patients without recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy.
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).
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.
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.
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.