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Quantitative Ultrasound Assessment of Hyoid Bone Displacement During Swallowing Following Thyroidectomy

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate temporal ultrasound measurements of the hyoid bone displacement during swallowing following thyroidectomy in women and to relate these measures to age, clinical outcomes, and upper digestive airway symptoms. The sample was divided into an experimental group (EG) of 20 women who underwent thyroidectomy (mean age = 49.55 years ± 15.14) and a control group (CG) of 20 healthy women volunteers (mean age = 40.75 years ± 15.92). Both groups were submitted to ultrasound assessment to obtain four temporal measurements of hyoid bone displacement during swallowing: elevation, anteriorization, maximum displacement, and maintenance of maximum displacement. In both groups, swallowing of ten milliliters of liquid and the same volume of thickened liquid (honey) were analyzed. The images were recorded on video (30 frames/second) and analyzed according to a standardized protocol. Temporal measurements of hyoid bone elevation and maximum displacement during swallowing of thickened liquid were significantly shorter in EG (p = 0.034 and p = 0.020, respectively). There were no differences in the swallowing of liquid, and no other variable was related to the ultrasound temporal measurements investigated. This study concludes that women who undergo thyroidectomy have a shorter time of hyoid bone elevation and maximum displacement during swallowing of 10 mL of thickened liquid.

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Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq) which had a financial support with Edital Universal (Process: 430286/2016-3); and the Education Ministry’s Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Ministério da Educação/Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—CAPES) for the scholarship granted to the first author (Social Demand Program/CAPES/MEC).

Funding

This study had a financial support by the National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq) with Edital Universal (Process: 430286/2016-3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (PPgFon/UFPB-UFRN-UNCISAL), Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Campus I s/n, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, PB, 58051-900, Brazil

    Bianca Oliveira Ismael da Costa, Darlyane de Souza Barros Rodrigues, Desiré Dominique Diniz de Magalhães, Anna Alice Almeida & Leandro Pernambuco

  2. Lauro Wanderley University Hospital (HULW/UFPB/EBSERH), Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), R. Tabelião Stanislau Eloy, 585, Castelo Branco, João Pessoa, PB, 58050-585, Brazil

    Ary Serrano Santos & Ricardo Vieira Santos

  3. Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Av. Marechal Campos, 1468, Maruípe, Vitória, ES, 29043-900, Brazil

    Elma Heitmann Mares Azevedo

  4. Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Campus I s/n, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, PB, 58051-900, Brazil

    Anna Alice Almeida & Leandro Pernambuco

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  1. Bianca Oliveira Ismael da Costa
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by BOIC, DSBR, DDDM, ASS, and RVS. Review and editing were performed by LP, EHMA, and AAFA. LP was responsible for supervision and funding acquisition. The first draft of the manuscript was written by BOIC and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Leandro Pernambuco.

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All procedures were approved by the ethics and institutional review committee (no. 2.314.731/18 and CAAE: 72723617.2.0000.5183) according to Resolution 466/2012 of the National Health Council (CNS) and according to the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki.

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Costa, B.O.I., Rodrigues, D.d.B., Magalhães, D.D.D. et al. Quantitative Ultrasound Assessment of Hyoid Bone Displacement During Swallowing Following Thyroidectomy. Dysphagia 36, 659–669 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-020-10180-5

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