Short-term Clinical and Economic Outcomes Associated with Vocal Fold Paralysis in Adults Undergoing Thyroidectomy: Analysis of the National Readmissions Database, 2016-2020.

Among 33 360 eligible patients, 1521 patients with vocal fold paralysis were propensity score matched to 6084 patients without vocal fold paralysis.

Patients with vocal fold paralysis also had significantly higher odds of multiple postoperative complications, including dysphagia, dysphonia, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, respiratory failure or mechanical ventilation, acute kidney injury, bleeding or hemorrhage, and nervous system complications (all P < 0.05).