Thyroid surgery involves making an incision in the base of the neck in order to access the thyroid gland. Important anatomical structures in the neck that the surgeon should avoid include the trachea, the esophagus, the carotid artery, the jugular vein and the recurrent laryngeal nerve. According to the American Thyroid Association.org, the overall risk of complications is about 2 percent. Injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve will cause vocal cord damage. Symptoms of vocal cord damage include hoarseness, breathy voice, soft voice and difficulty breathing. There are several treatment options for damaged vocal cords.
Bulking Procedures
According to the Merck Manual Online Medical Library.com, the treatment for one-sided injury is surgical augmentation, in which various materials are used to bulk up the vocal cord. An ear, nose and throat doctor may chose to inject Teflon into the damaged cord to improve voice quality. Other substances, according to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.gov, include collagen, body fat and silicone. Bulking procedures reduce the space between the damaged and undamaged vocal cord to improve voice quality.
Surgery
Surgical intervention involves moving the damaged vocal cord closer to the non-damaged vocal cord. In this procedure, called medialization of the vocal cord, a spacer is placed on the lateral side of the damaged vocal cord that pushes it closer to the non-damaged cord or moves it closer to the middle of the voice box. The advantage to this procedure, unlike injections, is the spacer is adjustable and removable, according to the Merck Manual Online Medical Library.com. The procedure can be done with a local anesthetic and adjusted to the patient's voice quality.
Time and Voice Therapy
According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.gov, vocal cord injury may be temporary. In some cases, the voice will return and doctors may chose to wait up to a year before initiating corrective treatment. While waiting, voice therapy may be recommended. Voice therapy includes certain exercises to strengthen the vocal cords and improve breath control during speech. A speech therapist may teach a patient how to speak differently in order to utilize the anatomy that is functioning better.
