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Manual Therapy for Voice and Swallowing After Total Thyroidectomy

This study is looking at whether a combination of treatments can help people who have voice or swallowing problems after having their thyroid gland removed (total thyroidectomy). Researchers want to see if adding manual therapy (neck massage), neck stretches, and pain neuroscience education (learning about how pain works) to standard voice exercises and scar massage is more effective than just voice exercises and scar massage alone. They will measure how clear your voice is, your speaking voice pitch, and how you feel about your voice quality at the beginning of the study and again after one year. You can join if you are an English-speaking adult (18 or older) scheduled for a total thyroidectomy. The study aims to enroll 20 participants.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 20 participants. It compares two groups of treatments to see which is more effective.
What's involved
You would receive manual massage, pain neuroscience education, neck stretches, scar massage, and voice exercises. Your voice clarity, pitch, and quality will be measured at the start and after one year.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your voice will be measured at the start of the study and again after one year.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06383091

Impact of Manual Therapy on Laryngeal Function Following Total Thyroidectomy

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalSupportive care
Johns Hopkins University
~20 participants
Updated 2026-06-22 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Anterior Neck Manual TherapyPain Neuroscience EducationNeck StretchesScar massageVoice ExercisesPlacebo Anterior Neck Manual Therapy

At a glance

Recruiting sites
2 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Acoustic measures of voice clarity
Measured over Baseline, 1 year
+7 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Total Thyroidectomy

Explore related trials

Thyroid Gland Disorder

Where it's being run

2 sites across 1 states
Maryland2

Study leadership

  • Vaninder Dhillon, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Johns Hopkins University

Who to contact

Claire W Ligon, M.Ed.
[email protected]
434-390-6387
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

The study population consists of individuals with malignant or benign thyroid disease scheduled to undergo total thyroidectomy
native speakers of English
All patients will be greater than or equal to 18 years of age

Exclusion

Participants will be excluded if they have completed voice therapy prior
are current smokers
have organic vocal fold pathology or clear mucosal changes to the vocal folds that can affect vibration (e.g., vocal fold scar, polyp, or nodules),
pre-existing unilateral or bilateral vocal fold paralysis
have had prior surgical neck or chest history including central or lateral neck dissection
pre- or post-operative abscess or inflammation
have a history of head, neck, or chest radiation, diagnosed baseline oral or pharyngeal dysphagia
have recently started taking in the last 3 months, plan to start taking or increase the level of testosterone during the treatment period
greater than 10% otherwise unexplained weight loss
had a recent aspiration pneumonia

What this trial measures

  • Acoustic measures of voice clarityBaseline, 1 year

    Acoustic measurement of relative Cepstral Peak Prominence (dB) in a speaking voice sample.

  • Acoustic measures of speaking voice pitchBaseline, 1 year

    Acoustic measurement of average fundamental speaking pitch in Hertz before and after surgery.

  • Acoustic measures of speaking voice quality subjectivelyBaseline, 1 year

    Clinicians will rate each patient's voice as having or not having each of the following perceptual qualities: Grade, Roughness, Asthenia, Breathiness, Strain. The scale is as follows: 0 (no perceptual quality) to 3 (severe perceptual quality).

  • Swallowing Quality of Life as assessed by the Eating Assessment Tool - 10Baseline, 1 year

    Patients will rate themselves from a 0 - 4 (0: no problem to 4: Severe Problem) on 10 items within the Eating Assessment Tool - 10

  • Laryngeal sensationBaseline, 1 year

    Using a visual analogue scale of pain - from 0: no pain, to 10: worst pain. Patients will rate their pain.

  • Scar Tethering DistanceBaseline, 1 year

    Distance in centimeters will be measured between the hyoid bone and scar with swallowing.

  • Scar Quality as assessed by The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment ScaleBaseline, 1 year

    The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale will be used to measure from 0: normal skin, to 10: worst scar imaginable.

  • Voice Quality of Life as measures by the Voice Related Quality of Life - 10Baseline, 1 year

    Quality of life measures: On a raw scale from 10 - 50 : 10 being no impact on quality of life, and 50 being the greatest impact on quality of life, participants will rate themselves.