Correlation between surgical position and neck pain in patients undergoing thyroidectomy: a prospective observational study

Thyroid diseases are one of the most common health problems worldwide. Although they represent a necessary step in order to perform thyroidectomy, hyperextension of the neck can potentially increase postoperative pain. The aim of this study is to determine a correlation between the degree of neck hyperextension on the operative table and the postoperative pain in patients undergoing open thyroidectomy.

Patients were prospectively enrolled from the cohort of patients operated at the Endocrine Surgery Unit of the University Hospital of Pisa, between May and July 2021. Both of patients who underwent total thyroidectomy or hemi-thyroidectomy were recruited. The following data were analysed in order to find a correlation with postoperative pain at 24 h: age, gender, type of surgery, BMI, operative time, and degree of neck extension.

Overall, 195 patients were enrolled. A direct, statistically significant correlation emerged between the degree of neck hyperextension and the postoperative pain 24 h after surgery, regardless of the pain of the surgical wound (p < 0.001; beta 0.270).

A direct correlation emerges between neck tilt angle and postoperative neck pain. Moreover, total thyroidectomy (TT) predisposes more to postoperative neck pain, considering the type of surgery.