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Ear, Nose, Throat

Is this a normal out come after total thyroid surgery.  I was told by my surgeon that my vocal cord was bruised from pulling during surgery and that the nerve was not cut and when the swelling gones down my cord should start back working it have been 11 months and i still have problems eating and drinking. My voice is weak, hoarse. My ENT doctor performed 2 injections so far this help with choking on food but not my voice. What else can be done?
Barb

Tags: vocal
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Thank you.
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello and hope you are doing well.

As the post operative swelling and inflammation, the functioning of the vocal cords should return. The best way for evaluation is to see a speech pathologist who specializes in voice and who can perform a videostroboscopy which is a special camera to look at the movement of the vocal cords.  The speech pathologist can recommend vocal strengthening exercises and works with an ENT who can prescribe the medications as needed.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
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