C Page1, P Monet, J Peltier, B Bonnaire, V Strunski. 1. Department of ENT and Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Amiens, Amiens, France. cyril.page@caramail.com
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: We aimed to highlight a rare anatomical variation involving the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and to emphasise its implications for thyroid surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a period of 13 years, 993 patients underwent thyroid surgery; 1557 recurrent laryngeal nerves (887 on the right side) were exposed. RESULTS: Three non-recurrent laryngeal nerves were found on the right side, associated with a retro-oesophageal subclavian artery. One case was suspected before surgery. DISCUSSION: Several variations in the path and branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerve have been reported in the literature. The frequency of occurrence of a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve is about 1 per cent, for patients undergoing thyroid surgery. Other surgically relevant anatomical variations of the recurrent laryngeal nerve include associations with the inferior thyroid artery and the presence of nerve branches. CONCLUSION: The recurrent laryngeal nerve must be carefully dissected and totally exposed during thyroid surgery in order to best preserve its function. Moreover, the thyroid surgeon must be aware of the existence of anatomical variations, which are not as rare as one may think.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: We aimed to highlight a rare anatomical variation involving the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and to emphasise its implications for thyroid surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a period of 13 years, 993 patients underwent thyroid surgery; 1557 recurrent laryngeal nerves (887 on the right side) were exposed. RESULTS: Three non-recurrent laryngeal nerves were found on the right side, associated with a retro-oesophageal subclavian artery. One case was suspected before surgery. DISCUSSION: Several variations in the path and branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerve have been reported in the literature. The frequency of occurrence of a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve is about 1 per cent, for patients undergoing thyroid surgery. Other surgically relevant anatomical variations of the recurrent laryngeal nerve include associations with the inferior thyroid artery and the presence of nerve branches. CONCLUSION: The recurrent laryngeal nerve must be carefully dissected and totally exposed during thyroid surgery in order to best preserve its function. Moreover, the thyroid surgeon must be aware of the existence of anatomical variations, which are not as rare as one may think.
Authors: A Sagayaraj; Ravi Padmakar Deo; Shuaib Merchant; S M Azeem Mohiyuddin; Abhishek C Nayak Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2014-09-23 Impact factor: 2.503
Authors: Adem Binnetoğlu; Ali Cemal Yumuşakhuylu; Muhammet Fatih Topuz; Berat Demir; Tekin Bağlam; Murat Sarı Journal: Turk Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2014-11-14