Recurrent nerve paralysis following thyroid surgery
André, P.; Gandon, J.; Trotoux, J.
Annales d'Oto-Laryngologie et de Chirurgie Cervico Faciale Bulletin de la Societe d'Oto-Laryngologie des Hopitaux de Paris 98(9): 443-445
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-438X PMID: 7340681 Document Number: 179226
Following a brief review of anatomical features, the risk of injury to the recurrent nerve is discussed as a function of the type of operation performed: subtotal thyroidectomy, ablation of a retrosternal goitre, lobectomy, and total thyroidectomy. Particular attention has to be paid to the risk of anomaly in the nerve pathway: early division or a nerve branching directly from the Xth nerve without a recurrent pathway. Paralysis may be due to simple stretching of the nerve, when regression occurs in approximately three months. Paralysis of the recurrent nerve occurred in 1.69% of cases (7 definite, including 2 of necessity), in a series of 1 184 recurrent nerve exposures.