Thyroid Surgery – Protecting Your Voice
One of the very rare but frightening risks for patients needing thyroid surgery is nerve damage causing hoarseness of the voice post operatively.
The nerve to the voice box (recurrent laryngeal nerve) sits immediately adjacent to the thyroid and is a small and delicate structure which is at risk of damage during surgery. The nerve is routinely looked for and protected during your thyroid surgery. Routine visual identification is how this has been done for decades however there is now technology which helps confirm both the surgeon has correctly identified the nerve AND that the nerve is still functioning properly.
This device sends low voltage signal via a probe to the nerve. This generates a contraction in your vocal cords which is picked up by a special monitor on your breathing tube. This helps to make your operation safer.
Dr Adams is experienced in the use of this monitor and uses it in her thyroid surgery.
If you need more information on this topic, feel free to contact us.
