Following surgical resection of a large thyroid mass, a patient complains of persistent hoarseness and a weak voice. What is the most likely cause of these symptoms?
High-Yield Explanation
The most common complication of thyroid and parathyroid surgery is iatrogenic injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which can result in temporary (up to 7.1%) or permanent (up to 3.6%) paralysis of the vocal cord.