This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi: 10.1111/coa.12913 This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. DR REZA NOURAEI (Orcid ID : 0000-0002-5604-1739) Article type : Original Manuscript Corresponding author mail id: reza.nouraei@gmail.com Vocal palsy increases the risk of lower respiratory tract infection in low-risk low-morbidity patients undergoing thyroidectomy for benign disease: a big data analysis SAR Nouraei 1,2 , J Allen 3 , H Kaddour 4 , SE Middleton 5 , P Aylin 6 , A Darzi 7 , NS Tolley 8 1. Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. 2. Academic Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. 3. Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, North Shore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. 4. Department of Ear Nose and Throat Surgery, Barking Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust, Romford, UK. 5. Dr Foster Intelligence Ltd, Dorset Rise, London, UK. 6. Dr Foster Unit at Imperial College, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK 7. Academic Surgical Unit, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College Healthcare Trust, St Mary’s Hospital, London, UK 8. Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, St Mary's Hospital, London. UK. Short Title: Association between vocal palsy and pneumonia Keywords: Aspiration; Vocal palsy; Pneumonia; Thyroidectomy; Big Data