Lateral neck dissection affects the voice in thyroid cancer patients

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Endocrinology
• Oncology

Background:

• Thyroidectomy is a common procedure for thyroid conditions.
• Lateral neck dissection is sometimes performed concurrently with thyroidectomy.
• The impact of lateral neck dissection on voice is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of lateral neck dissection on voice changes in patients who have undergone thyroidectomy.
• To compare voice outcomes between patients with and without lateral neck dissection.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records from 264 thyroidectomised patients.
• Comparison of clinical and voice evaluation data between patients who underwent lateral neck dissection (n=65) and those who did not (n=199).

Main Results:

• Patients undergoing lateral neck dissection showed lower fundamental and speaking fundamental frequencies.
• Increased incidence of vocal fold edema and asymmetric mucosal wave observed in the lateral neck dissection group.
• Self-assessed voice quality scores were significantly worse in the lateral neck dissection group at one and three months post-surgery.

Conclusions:

• Lateral neck dissection in thyroidectomised patients leads to a reduction in vocal pitch and persistent vocal fold edema.
• While objective voice parameters may improve within a month, subjective voice complaints can last longer.
• This study highlights the significant impact of lateral neck dissection on voice quality in the initial postoperative period.