Abstract
One of the main complications of thyroid surgery is injury to recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN), which causes severe morbidity to the patient in postoperative period. To find out the incidence of RLN injury and its consequences, a prospective study was done in a group of 142 cases during the years 1999–2000. Different types of thyroidectomies for various diseases lbw of the thyroid gland, wherein a routine identification and exposure of the P-R was done through out its full course till its entry into the larynx at cricothyroid membrane. Three cases of temporary RLN injury were found and not a single case of permanent nerve injury was seen during our study. Three cases of nonre current LN were found on the right side of the gland. The temporary injury of the nerve completely recovered during 2–5 months of follow-up. We present some reviews of the literature to provide various authors, views and experiences regarding injury of RLN associated with thyroid urgery.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Thermann M, Feltkamp M, Elles W, Windhorst T. Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis after thyroid gland operation. Etiology and consequences German Chirurg 1998;69:951–6.
Leow CK, Webb AJ. The lateral thyroid ligament of Berry International surgery 1998;83:75–8.
Bergamaschi R, Beconarn G, Ronceray J, Arnaud JP. Morbidity of thyroid surgery. Am J Surg 1998;176:71–5.
Al-Fakhri N, Schwaitz A, Runkel N, Buhr HJ. Rate of complications with systemic exposure of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and perathyroid gland in operation for benign thyroid gland diseases. Germanl Zentralblatt fur chirurgie 1998;123:21–4.
Mattig H, Bildat D, Metzger B. Reducing the rate of recurrent nerve paralysis by routine exposure of the nerves in thyroid gland operations. Germanl Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie 1998;123:17–20.
Kasemsuvan L, Nubthuenetr S. Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis a complication of thyroidectomy J Otolaryngol 1997;26:365–7.
Schweizer V, Dorff J. The anatomy of the inferior laryngeal nerve. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 1997;22:362–9.
Moulton-Barrett R, Crumley R, Jaillia S, Segine D, Allison G, Marshak D, et al. Complications of thyroid surgery. Int Surg 1997;82:63–6.
Srinivasan V, Premachandran DJ. Non-recurrent laryngeal nerve, Identification during thyroid surgery. Oral J Oto-rhino Laryngol 1997;59:57–9.
Mra Z, Wax MK. Non recurrent laryngeal nerve anatomic considerations during thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Am J Otolaryngol 1999;20:91–5.
Norman Matherson. “The thyroid gland and thyroglossal tract, in Bailey & Loe’s” Short Practice of Surgery, 21st edition revised by Chailes V, Mann and R.C.G. Russell; 1992. p. 754–5.
Koch B, Boettcher M, Huschitt N, Hulsewede R. Must the recurrent nerve in thyroid gland resection always be expoused? A prospective randomized study (German), Chirurg 1996;67:927–32.
Kdwin L. Kaplan. Thyroid and Parathyroid in Principles of Surgery” by Schartz Shires Spencer, 6th Edition 1994.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bora, M.K., Narwani, S., Agarwal, S. et al. A study of routine exposure of recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 57, 182–184 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03008009
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03008009