A retrospective study published in The Journal of Laryngology & Otology evaluated the incidence, risk factors, diagnosis, and management of postoperative dysphonia following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. The study analyzed data from 613,978 adults in the PearlDiver Mariner Patient Records Database who underwent primary anterior cervical discectomy and fusion between 2010 and 2022. Dysphonia occurred in 2.6% of patients. Associated risk factors included female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.43), age 50 to 64 years (OR, 1.10), age 65 to 79 years (OR, 1.21), smoking (OR, 2.41), obesity (OR, 2.80), diabetes (OR, 1.89), and multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (OR, 1.20).

Diagnosis of postoperative dysphonia was delayed by more than 12 months in 73.2% of patients. Meanwhile, only 52.7% underwent laryngoscopy, and 15.0% received voice therapy. The findings suggest that…