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The recurrent laryngeal nerve

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Summary

Forty three specimens—(24 male and 19 females)—31 from dissection room, 4 from post-mortem and 8 foetuses were specially dissected.

The study shows that the recurrent laryngeal nerve divides invariably outside the larynx but in every case the anterior branch gives off the muscular branches after entering the larynx at a point above the level of the posterior aspect of the joint between the inferior cornu of the thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage. The posterior branch is distributed to the mucous membrane.

The recurrent laryngeal nerve was more often superficial to the inferior thyroid artery on the right side and deep on the left side, in males; but in females it was superficial on both sides oftener. This difference in the relation of the nerve and artery in the sexes has not been mentioned and requires further investigation.

In none of the dissections on the 43 specimens did the recurrent laryngeal nerve pass through the thyroid gland. The nerve was always outside the sheath of the gland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Anatomy, Stanley Medical College, Madras-1

    S. Ramaswamy

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  1. S. Ramaswamy
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Ramaswamy, S. The recurrent laryngeal nerve. Indian J Otolaryngol 11, 104–112 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03047711

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03047711

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