Publication:

Perceptual and acoustic voice analysis in participants with post thyroidectomy

Background Voice changes are common concern for participants who underwent thyroidectomy, even when the laryngeal nerves are preserved. To understand these changes, a comprehensive voice assessment is necessary, which involves a multidisciplinary team of professionals in evaluating and treating participants with post-thyroidectomy. The study aimed to assess and compare perceptual and acoustic voice analysis in healthy and participants with post-thyroidectomy.

Methods It was an analytical cross-sectional study. A total of 40 participants, aged 20 and 55 years were included in Group I and Group II. VHI-H, and MDVP were used for the study which provides insights into various parameters of voice. The collected data was entered into an Excel sheet, and statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 27.

Results Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in perceptual evaluation of voice in participants with post-thyroidectomy when compared with healthy participants (p<0.05). Statistically significant difference was also observed in the acoustic voice parameters in participants with post-thyroidectomy and healthy participants (p<0.05). Significant positive correlation was found among VHI-H as well as most MDVP parameters.

Conclusions Post-thyroidectomy can significantly alter both perceptual and acoustic voice parameters. The significant correlation further underscores the importance of incorporating both perceptual and acoustic evaluations in clinical voice assessment. These insights support the importance of routine voice monitoring in participants with post-thyroidectomy to ensure timely identification and management of voice problems, ultimately improving patient care and their QOL.