Vocal Outcome Following Thyroidectomy for Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Endocrinology
• Oncology

Background:

• Voice alteration is a common concern following thyroid surgery, affecting patient quality of life.
• The Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) is utilized to objectively assess voice quality.
• Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) necessitates surgical intervention, raising questions about vocal outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate vocal outcomes after thyroidectomy using the AVQI.
• To determine the impact of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) surgery on voice quality.
• To correlate pre- and postoperative AVQI scores with surgical factors.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study of 74 DTC patients undergoing thyroid surgery.
• Vocal analysis using Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) and Praat software.
• Preoperative and postoperative endoscopic evaluation of vocal folds and AVQI scoring at multiple time points (T1, T2, T3).

Main Results:

• Vocal fold impairment occurred in 6.76% of patients post-surgery, with full recovery within 3 months.
• A significant proportion of patients (37) presented with preoperative hoarseness (AVQI > 2.35), with many maintaining this post-surgery.
• No significant differences in mean AVQI scores were found based on gender, age, or central neck dissection.

Conclusions:

• Thyroid surgery for DTC, when performed by experienced surgeons, does not significantly impact long-term voice quality.
• AVQI scores showed no significant variations between pre- and postoperative assessments.
• Temporary vocal fold issues are common but typically resolve, indicating good functional outcomes post-thyroidectomy.