Patient-reported voice and swallowing outcomes and their impact on quality of life in the late postoperative period following total thyroidectomy.

PURPOSE: To analyze self-assessment of voice and swallowing in the late postoperative period of total thyroidectomy and the impact of surgery on quality of life.

METHODS

This is a descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study, approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the institution. Seventeen women aged between 32 and 58 years participated in the study, mostly married, with completed higher education, residing outside the metropolitan region, who underwent total thyroidectomy without cervical lymph node dissection, without adjuvant radiotherapy, and without postoperative speech therapy follow-up for at least 6 months. Demographic and clinical data were collected, as well as the results of the Thyroidectomy-Related Voice and Symptom Questionnaire (TVSQ) and the Thyroid-Related Patient-Reported Outcome - 39 (ThyPro-39) questionnaires. Data analysis was performed descriptively.

RESULTS

The median total TVSQ score was 26, with the highest scores found in the two cases that underwent cervical lymph node dissection. Domain 1 (vocal symptoms) of the TVSQ contributed most to the total score (48.52%). In domain 2 (oropharyngolaryngeal symptoms) of the TVSQ, scores were closer to the upper limit, representing a higher frequency of symptoms. The ThyPro-39 results revealed a greater impact of thyroidectomy on fatigue, anxiety, cognitive problems, emotion, and depression.

CONCLUSION

Women undergoing total thyroidectomy present vocal and swallowing symptoms, with a predominance of vocal symptoms in the long term, associated with the negative impact of surgery on physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Furthermore, there is a compromise in quality of life regarding fatigue, emotional aspects, anxiety, cognitive problems, and depression.