Sara Viana Baptista , Hospital da Luz otorhinolaryngologist, concluded her doctorate degree in Medicine at the Faculty of Medical Sciences / Nova Medical School, Lisbon Nova University, on the 12 th July of this year. In the doctoral exams - with discussion of her thesis, entitled “Vocal affection in thyroid surgery” – she was unanimously approved by the jury, with praise and distinction. The thesis resulted from a researched carried out at Hospital da Luz Lisboa, in the context of the voice pathology consultation (department of Otorhinolaryngology), in collaboration with the thyroid multidisciplinary consultation. Sara Viana Baptista, who is the clinical director of Hospital da Luz Oeiras, explains the bottom line of her work: “The production of voice results from the complex function of the vocal mechanism, but the mechanics through which the thyroid surgery may affect the voice are still unclear. This study has intended to quantify pre and postoperative vocal alterations, in the long term, in patients submitted to thyroidectomy without vocal fold immobility, and to confirm the hypothesis that the increase in volume of the thyroid is a risk factor for postoperative vocal alterations”. Among the main conclusions of the thesis, we highlight the following: Vocal alterations are frequent in laryngoscopy before and after thyroidectomy, particularly in patients with enlarged thyroid. These alterations occur, in most cases, in patients with normal mobility of the vocal cords. Most patients with vocal alterations in the peri-operative period of thyroidectomy do not have alterations in the mobility of the vocal cords. Postoperative vocal alterations are most evident in the first three months and most frequent in patients operated to voluminous goitres. Multidisciplinary approach strategies focused on early and individualized intervention viewing the vocal quality, allow better results and quality of life for patients. The doctorate jury – in the photo above with Sara Viana Baptista – included Jorge Spratley (Faculty of Medicine, Oporto University), António Miguéis (Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra University), Paulo Vera-Cruz (Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Católica Portuguesa), David Lott (Mayo Clinic School of Medicine), Diogo Pais (FCM/NMS) and Pedro Escada (FCM/NMS). The research work of this thesis has had for advisors Paulo Vera-Cruz, Carlos Zagalo (Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas Moniz) and Rui Maio (FCM/NMS).
