Morbidity after thyroidectomy is related to injuries to the parathyroids, recurrent laryngeal (RLN) and external branch of superior laryngeal nerves (EBSLN). Mostly these are due to variations in the surgical anatomy. In this study we analyse the surgical anatomy of the laryngeal nerves in Indian patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Materials and Methods. Retrospective study (February 2008 to Feb...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of laryngeal intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) during thyroidectomy in predicting postoperative laryngeal mobility. METHODS Between 2009 and 2012, 127 patients underwent thyroidectomy, during which 216 recurrent laryngeal nerves were stimulated with suprathreshold stimulations. Laryngeal mobility was examined through d...

The peripheral nervous system has the intrinsic capacity to regenerate but the reinnervation of muscles is often suboptimal and results in limited recovery of function. Injuries to nerves that innervate complex organs such as the larynx are particularly difficult to treat. The many functions of the larynx have evolved through the intricate neural regulation of highly specialized laryngeal muscl...

Introduction The outcome of thyroid surgery is usually assessed according to two major complications: recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and hypoparathyroidism. The purpose of the study was to monitor the outcomes of thyroid surgery using Shewhart control charts, and then to identify possible ways to improve quality by exploring the special causes of variation in the observed complication rate...

A common claim by evolutionists is that the mammalian left recurrent laryngeal nerve was poorly designed because it travels downward past the larynx, then around the aorta and, last, back up to the larynx. They reason that a much shorter route directly to the larynx would be far more effective. This analysis concludes that the reasons for the longer route include both developmental and design c...

Peters (1992) suggested that the asymmetry between the lengths of the left and right recurrent laryngeal nerves had been completely overlooked as a possible factor in the lateralization of hemispheric function. He has since (personal communication, 1993) acknowledged that this was incorrect insofar as Walker (1987a, 1988) had previously made very similar proposals to those contained in his arti...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to summarize the experience of intraoperative neuromonitoring system for monitoring and protection of recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery. METHODS There were 220 cases in this study, male 53, female 167, mean age 38.2 years old. 85 cases in the study had thyroid cancer, 19 cases had thyroid benign tumor, 90 cases had thyroid goiter, 3 cases had ...

One of the most important complications during thyroid surgery is injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) which leads to dysfunction and palsy of the vocal folds. Adequate knowledge about the location of the RLN supported by neuromonitoring can help the operating surgeon to prevent this complication. Visualisation of the nerve alone seems to not be enough. Much more important is an estima...

Despite many advances in surgical techniques during the last several decades, the risk for recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury during thyroid and parathyroid surgery has only declined, not disappeared. RLN monitoring is an attempt to reduce the risk of nerve injury during thyroid and parathyroid surgery. In this article, the author discusses how to use RLN monitoring, its effectiveness, and ...

The tubercle of Zuckerkandl (ZT) is an embryological remnant of the thyroid gland. Its close relationship to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) makes it an important surgical landmark. Presence and size of the ZT was prospectively assessed during thyroidectomies done at a single surgical unit during 2013. Eighty patients were included in the study. Closest distance and relationship of the ZT t...