Abstract
Objective: To evaluate value of laryngoscopy as preoperative and postoperative work up in
patients under going thyroid surgery.
Patients and Methods: One hundred patients undergoing surgery for any lesion of thyroid gland
were assessed in a before and after surgery during a one-year period. All were examined by rigid
laryngoscope. Any abnormality of vocal fold (VF) movements was recorded. Modification of
phonation was evaluated before and after surgery by a questionnaire. The rate of asymptomatic
abnormal VF movements was determined and effect of surgery and pathology of lesions were
evaluated.
Results: There were 54 females and 46 males, with the mean age of 42.1±8.27 years. There were
89 cases with benign disease of thyroid and 11 cases had malignancy. Modification of phonation
and impaired VF motion were seen in 11 and 7 patients before operation, respectively. 42.86%
cases with impaired VF motion were asymptomatic. These rates were 13 and 11 cases after
operation, respectively. Impaired VF motion was significantly higher in patients with total
thyroidectomy (p<0.001).
2
Conclusion: Our results emphasize the need of preoperative laryngoscopic examination of
patients undergoing surgery for thyroid gland. Likewise, absence of abnormality in voice would
not accurately rule out the probability of VF or laryngeal nerve lesions (Rawal Med J
2009;34:89-91)

Key words: Recurrent laryngeal nerve, thyroidectomy, laryngoscopy, malignancy.