Goiter

The goal of this observational study is to develop a questionnaire for measuring swallowing and throat discomfort symptoms in patients with goiter or thyroidectomy, which complies with the model of Rasch and which satisfies the fundamental measurement axioms (e.g., unidimensionality, linearity, generalizability). Developing a scale with such characteristics would provide clinicians and researchers with a reliable tool for assessing the impact of goiter and for measuring the outcomes after surgery. Also, the study will assess the psychological impact of goiter and thyroidectomy, as well as the characteristics of the surgical scar after thyroidectomy. The questionnaire will be developed in the first phase of the study. Items and response categories will be identified through interviews performed with patients affected by goiter or after thyroidectomy. In the following phases of the study, the questionnaire will be administered to patients before and after thyroidectomy.

Literature regarding effects of goiter on the occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains scarce. Reports have described cases of OSA in patients suffering from goiters, resolved after thyroidectomy. It has been recently shown that goiters of a total volume exceeding 25 mL leads to \>30% tracheal compression. The aims of the present study is to assess 1) the prevalence of OSA in patients suffering from goiters and planned for thyroidectomy 2) the role of thyroidectomy in OSA resolution in patients suffering from pre-operative OSA 3) the identification of predictors for persisting OSA.