D'haeseleer, EvelienHuvenne, WouterVermeersch, HubertMeerschman, IrisImke, KisselServayge, LenaVersavel, OrpheeVan Lierde, K.M. (Kristiane)2022-10-282021-05D'haeseleer, E., Huvenne, W., Vermeersch, H. et al. 2021, 'Long-term voice quality outcome after thyroidectomy without laryngeal nerve injury: a prospective 10 year follow up study', Journal of Communication Disorders, vol. 91, art. 106109, pp. 1-12, doi : 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106109.0021-9924 (print)1873-7994 (online)10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106109https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/88018PURPOSE : This study investigates the long-term voice outcome of thyroidectomy up to 10 years after the surgery using a longitudinal prospective study design. METHODS : Eighteen participants (6 men and 12 women, mean age: 54 years) who underwent a thyroidectomy between September 2006 and May 2007 were included in this study. A voice assessment protocol consisting of subjective (videolaryngostroboscopic evaluation, auditory- perceptual evaluation, patients’ self-report) and objective voice assessments (maximum performance task, acoustic analysis, voice range profile and Dysphonia Severity Index) was used to evaluate the participants’ pre- and postoperative voice. Voice measurements were compared before and one week, six weeks, three months and 10 years after the surgery. RESULTS : No significant differences over time in auditory-perceptual and objective voice parameters were found, except for shimmer. Only in the first postoperative condition, significantly more patients reported vocal complaints. A progressive amelioration of the vocal folds’ movement patterns was observed in the postoperative conditions. CONCLUSION : The findings of this small longitudinal prospective study suggest that thyroidectomy without laryngeal nerve injury does not cause a permanent deterioration of the laryngeal aspect or function, vocal fold behavior and the self-perceived, perceptual and objective vocal quality. The increase of the shimmer 10 years post-thyroidectomy may be related to vocal aging.en© 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Journal of Communication Disorders . Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. A definitive version was subsequently published in Journal of Communication Disorders, vol. 91, art. 106109, pp. 1-12, 2021. doi : 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106109.Voice outcomeThyroidectomyLaryngologyLong-term follow-upVoice qualityPostprint Article