Voice Outcomes as a Results of Voice Therapy after Lobectomy and Thyroidectomy

Abstract

SUMMARY Voice disorders are among the most common complications of thyroid surgery. It is therefore advisable to continuously monitor and report the outcomes of voice rehabilitation among people who underwent thyroid surgery in order to recognize which specific clinical actions are necessary to give those patients the maximum chance to restore quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of voice therapy in 35 persons (26 women and 9 men) aged between 20 and 75 years after total thyroidectomy or lobectomy. Multidimensional voice assessment using the GRBAS scale, Voice Handicap Index questionnaire, and acoustic analysis was carried out before and after voice therapy, which included relaxation and breathing exercises, laryngeal massage, resonance therapy, and the employment of the digital compression method. Since the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test showed significant improvements in all voice parameters after voice therapy, voice rehabilitation seems to be the essential clinical activity for thyroid surgery patients who suffer from voice disorders postoperatively.

Role of Prehabilitation and Rehabilitation on Functional Recovery and Quality of Life in Thyroid Cancer Patients: A Comprehensive Review

“…Figure 4 shows the potential rehabilitation strategies for the management of dysphonia in thyroid cancer survivors. In particular, voice therapy is a specialized form of rehabilitation that focuses on improving vocal function and is mainly used for dysphonia treatment [77]. A trained speechlanguage therapist can guide individuals through different voice exercises and techniques to optimize vocal cord coordination, breath support, and resonance [78].…”

“…Different studies have shown positive outcomes, including improvement in vocal cord function, vocal quality, and reduced voice-related distress, despite only moderatequality evidence supporting voice therapy after thyroid surgery [76]. In particular, voice therapy is a specialized form of rehabilitation that focuses on improving vocal function and is mainly used for dysphonia treatment [77]. A trained speech-language therapist can guide individuals through different voice exercises and techniques to optimize vocal cord coordination, breath support, and resonance [78].…”