Local neck symptoms before and after thyroidectomy: a possible correlation with gastroesophageal reflux and reflux laryngopharingitis.

P02.25 LOCAL NECK SYMPTOMS BEFORE AND AFTER THYROIDECTOMY: A POSSIBLE CORRELATION WITH GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX AND REFLUX LARYNGOPHARYNGITIS. Alessia Cusimano1, Achille Mastrosimone2, Eugenio Fiorentino1 1Policlinico Of Palermo, Palermo/ITALY, 2Policlinico Of Palermo, Agrigento/ITALY Background: Swallowing, voice disorders and throat discomfort are usually reported by patients with a thyroid nodule. it may frequently occur in patients who have undergone uncomplicated TT complain of symptoms such as swallowing disorders, hoarseness, a sensation of strangling or of a lump in the neck, a cough and sore throat, all usually attributed to oro- tracheal intubation. Swallowing, voice and throat discomfort should thus be in some way related to the mechanical effects of nodular goiter or to thyroidectomy; it has never been suggested that the same symptoms might refer to a different concomitant medical problem with an overlapping clini- cal presentation. Reflux laryngopharyngitis is the most frequent caused by the laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), a term which refers to the backflow of gastric juice into the laryngopharynx. LPR has been considered one of the atypical clinical presentations of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) affecting the larynx and pharynx; several otolaryngologists maintain that LPR differs from GER and concerns reflux in otolaryngology patients more often in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods: in a period of 6 months, 144 patients undergone to TT, interviwed according to the Reflux Symptome Index, investigated through videolaryn- goscopy and videofluoroscopic swallowing studies Results: 3 months after surgery, swallowing and voice disorders and throat discomfort symptoms persisted in a large number of patients, associated with the laryngopharyngitis revealed by the findings at VLS and alterations at VFSS. Discussion: this is the first study correlating local neck symptoms in patients with non-toxic nodular goiter to refextra-esophageal reflux, a new hypothesis. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.