Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T20:12:58.073Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Importance of pre-operative recognition of the nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Ikuo Nagayama ,
Yozo Okabe ,
Hideaki Katoh  and
Mitsuru Furukawa
Ikuo Nagayama*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan.
Yozo Okabe
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan.
Hideaki Katoh
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan.
Mitsuru Furukawa
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan.
*
Dr Ikuo Nagayama, Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, Kanazawashi, Ishikawaken, Japan. Fax: (0762) 34-4265
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve is vulnerable during thyroid surgery. Pre-operative recognition of this nerve allows surgeons to avoid injuring the nerve. This anomaly depends upon the aortic arch anomaly and, therefore, in some cases, surgeons are able to predict the presence of this nerve pre-operatively by chest X-ray or barium swallow. Two patients with nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve are reported, one of whom, a 48-year-old man, had an abnormal shadow of the aortic arch, which led to confirmation of a right aberrant subclavian artery. Barium swallow plays a decisive role in the diagnosis of nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve, and this test is mandatory in patients who complain of difficulty in swallowing.

Keywords

Laryngeal nervenonrecurrentSubclavian arteryright aberrantThyroid glandsurgery
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 108 , Issue 5 , May 1994 , pp. 417 - 419
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Friedman, M., Toriumi, D. M., Grybauskas, V., Katz, A. (1986) Nonrecurrent laryngeal nerves and their clinical significance. Laryngoscope 96: 87–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray, S. G., Skandalakis, J. E., Akin, J. T. Jr (1976) Embryological consideration of thyroid surgery: developmental anatomy of the thyroid, parathyroids and the recurrent laryngeal nerve. American Surgeon 42: 621–628.Google ScholarPubMed
Henry, J. E., Audiffret, J., Denizot, A., Plan, M. (1988) The nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve: review of 33 cases, including two on the left side. Surgery 104: 977–984.Google ScholarPubMed
Hollinshead, W. H. (1982) The head and neck. In Anatomy for Surgeons. 3rd Edition, vol. 1. Harper and Row Publishers, Inc., Philadelphia, pp 511–513.Google Scholar
Lichter, I. (1963) The treatment of dysphagia lusoria in the adult. British Journal of Surgery 50: 793–796.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pemberton, J. J., Beaver, M. G. (1932) Anomaly of right recurrent laryngeal nerve. Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics 54: 594–595.Google Scholar
Piersol, G. A. (1916) The aortic arch. In Human Anatomy. 5th Edition. Lippincott, Philadelphia, pp 724–727.Google Scholar
Riddel, V. H. (1956) Injury to recurrent laryngeal nerves during thyroidectomy. Lancet 29: 638–641.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Skandalakis, J. E., Droulias, C., Harlaftis, N., Tzinas, S., Gray, S. W., Akin, J. T. (1976) The recurrent laryngeal nerve. American Surgeon 42: 629–634.Google ScholarPubMed
Stewart, G. R., Mountain, J. C., Colocock, B. P. (1972) Nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve. British Journal of Surgery 59: 379–381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Work, W. P. (1941) Unusual position of the right recurrent laryngeal nerve. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology 50: 769–775.CrossRefGoogle Scholar