A novel variation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve
نویسندگان
چکیده
BACKGROUND Injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve is one of the most severe complications of thyroid surgery. Several anatomic variations of the nerve increase the likelihood of iatrogenic damage. CASE PRESENTATION A 50-year-old woman was presented to our department with a nodule in the right thyroid lobe, and she reported no voice changes. She had no history of surgery or radiation to the head or neck. Fine-needle aspiration was recorded as papillary thyroid carcinoma. The preoperative laryngoscopy revealed left vocal cord paralysis. Right thyroid lobectomy was performed. A scarce course of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve was found during the operation that ascended along the medial edge of the superior thyroid pole and finally disappeared beneath the superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage without any tracheal, esophageal, or laryngeal branches. The patient was discharged on the third postoperative day with the diagnoses of papillary thyroid carcinoma and congenital left vocal cord paralysis. CONCLUSIONS The novel variation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve may challenge the current concept of the anatomy of the nerve. The vocal folds mobility should be examined routinely before surgery in patients undergoing thyroid operation.
منابع مشابه
Unilateral Recurrent Laryngeal and Hypoglossal Nerve Paralysis Following Rhinoplasty: A Case Report and review of Articles
Introduction: Injury to cranial nerves IX, X, and XII is a known complication of laryngoscopy and intubation. Here we present a patient with concurrent hypoglossal and recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis after rhinoplasty. Case Report: The patient was a 27-year-old woman who was candidate for rhinoplastic surgery. The next morning after the operation, the patient complained of dysphonia and a s...
متن کاملComparison of the Frequency of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury with and without Exploration of the Nerve in Thyroidectomy
Background & Aims: Surgeons are not willing to participate in thyroid surgeries due to dangerous, although rare, complications of the procedure. Post thyroidectomy complications are divided in early and late onset; hypocalcemia, bleeding, thyroid storm and recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury are the most important ones. This study was performed to compare the frequency of recurrent laryngeal...
متن کاملRecurrent Laryngeal Nerve Paralysis in a Patient with Primary Thyroid Tuberculosis (Report of One Case)
Vocal cords paralysis is not a rare entity and is usually caused by malignant thyroid tomors, and major thyroid & neck surgeries, nontheless it has some unusual and even idiopathic causes as well. This is a report of a case with the primary tuberculosis of thyroid gland which has been confirmed both pathologicaly and microbiologically. The lesion was on the same side of paralysis and had advanc...
متن کاملImproving Voice Outcomes After Injury to the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve
Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the voice outcomes before and after the administration of voice therapy in patients who suffered an injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve after undergoing thyroidectomy. Methods: The sample consisted of 26 patients (2 males and 24 females) aged between 18 and 80 years (m=55±12) who experienced injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve fol...
متن کامل