Analysis of Voice Quality After Thyroid Surgery.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Endocrinology
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Voice changes are a frequent complication following thyroidectomy, a surgery for thyroid gland removal.
• Understanding post-surgical vocal alterations is crucial for patient care and recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate voice disorders after partial and total thyroidectomy.
• To examine the influence of thyroid pathology (cancerous vs. noncancerous) on post-surgical voice.
• To assess the association of age and gender with vocal changes after thyroid surgery.

Main Methods:

• Acoustic voice analysis was performed preoperatively and at 1 day and 1 month postoperatively.
• Key parameters measured included fundamental frequency (F0), harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), jitter, shimmer, speaker phonation frequency (SPF) range, cepstral peak prominence (CPP), and maximum phonational frequency range (MPFR).

Main Results:

• Significant changes in F0, SPF range, and CPP were observed one month after surgery, varying by thyroidectomy type and pathology.
• No significant alterations were noted in HNR, jitter, or shimmer.
• Age correlated with CPP, while MPFR related to thyroidectomy type. Maximum F0 was significantly associated with thyroidectomy type in females.

Conclusions:

• Thyroidectomy can negatively impact voice quality.
• Age and thyroidectomy type were not directly responsible for the observed voice changes.
• Potential contributing factors include nerve damage, patient experience, and prior treatments, necessitating further research.