Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38861184›Full record

Observational studyLangenbeck's archives of surgery2024

Surgeon-performed transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasound for vocal cord assessment after total thyroidectomy: a prospective study : Original article.

Leonardo Rossi, Piermarco Papini, Andrea De Palma, Lorenzo Fregoli, Chiara Becucci, Carlo Enrico Ambrosini, Riccardo Morganti, Gabriele Materazzi

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Langenbeck's archives of surgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Observational
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Clinical Applications of Laryngeal Ultrasonography: A Review.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice Foundation · 2025
    Review
  7. Observational
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Leonardo RossiDepartment of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. rossi.leonardo.phd@gmail.com.
Piermarco PapiniDepartment of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Andrea De PalmaDepartment of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Lorenzo FregoliDepartment of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Chiara BecucciDepartment of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Carlo Enrico AmbrosiniDepartment of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Riccardo MorgantiSection of Statistics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Gabriele MaterazziDepartment of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAssessing vocal cord mobility is crucial for patients undergoing thyroid surgery. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of surgeon-performed transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasound (TLUS) compared to flexible nasolaryngoscopy.

methodFrom February 2022 to December 2022, we conducted a prospective observational study on patients scheduled for total thyroidectomy at our Institution. All patients underwent TLUS followed by flexible nasolaryngoscopy by a blinded otolaryngologist. Findings were classified as normal or vocal cord movement impairment and then compared. Patients evaluable on TLUS were included in Group A, while those not evaluable were included in Group B, and their features were compared.

resultsGroup A included 180 patients, while Group B included 21 patients. Male sex (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.034), BMI (p < 0.001), thyroid volume (p = 0.038), and neck circumference (p < 0.001) were associated with Group B. TLUS showed a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 100%, 99.4%, 94.4%, 100%, and 99.4%, respectively. Cohen's K value was 0.984.

conclusionTLUS is a valid, easy-to-perform, non-invasive, and painless alternative for evaluating vocal cords in selected patients. It can be used either as a first level exam and as screening tool for selecting cases for flexible nasolaryngoscopy. TLUS should be integrated into routine thyroid ultrasound examination.

Indexed as

LaryngoscopyThyroidectomyUltrasonographyAdultAgedFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPostoperative ComplicationsProspective StudiesSensitivity and SpecificityVocal Cord ParalysisVocal CordsFlexible nasolaryngoscopyRecurrent laryngeal nerve InjuryThyroidectomyTranscutaneous laryngeal ultrasoundUltrasonographyVocal Cord movement impairmentVocal cord Palsy

Identifiers

PMID38861184
PMCPMC11166737

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.