Sensory symptoms in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Thyroid Surgery
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Thyroidectomy is a common surgical procedure.
• Sensory symptoms can impact patient quality of life post-surgery.
• Understanding pre- and post-operative symptoms is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the occurrence of sensory symptoms in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.
• To compare pre-operative and post-operative sensory symptom profiles.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, quantitative, descriptive study.
• Involved 12 patients undergoing thyroidectomy.
• Utilized visual laryngeal examination and Upper Aerodigestive Symptoms (UADS) and Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) questionnaires pre- and post-operatively.

Main Results:

• Pre-operatively, patients reported higher vocal fatigue, hoarseness, pharyngeal bolus, dry throat, and throat clearing.
• Post-operatively, hoarseness, vocal fatigue, cough, and pharyngeal bolus were more frequent.
• Increased frequency and severity of tickling throat, irritable throat, sore throat, and lump in the throat were noted post-operatively, alongside reduced throat dryness.

Conclusions:

• Thyroidectomy patients experience significant upper aerodigestive and vocal tract sensory symptoms pre- and post-operatively.
• Common symptoms include hoarseness, vocal fatigue, pharyngeal sensations, and throat discomfort.
• A reduction in choking sensation and throat dryness was self-reported post-operatively.