This is a real-world medical entrance exam question, please give the true answer based on the question and selection. Topic name: Thyroid Gland, Subject name: Surgery
[{'content': 'Following surgical resection of a large thyroid mass, a patient complains of persistent hoarseness and a weak voice. What is the most likely cause of these symptoms? \nSelect and explain. \nA. Traumatic intubation, B. Prolonged intubation, C. Injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, D. Injury to the superior laryngeal nerve', 'role': 'user'}, {'content': 'Answer: C \nExplanation: The most common complication of thyroid and parathyroid surgery is iatrogenic injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which can result in temporary (up to 7.1%) or permanent (up to 3.6%) paralysis of the vocal cord.', 'role': 'assistant'}]