Nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve: review of 13 cases
Vallicioni, J.; Ndiaye, M.; Poissonnet, G.; Dassonville, O.; Converset, S.; Lecoq, M.; Demard, F.
Annales d'Oto-Laryngologie et de Chirurgie Cervico Faciale Bulletin de la Societe d'Oto-Laryngologie des Hopitaux de Paris 120(5): 268-270
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-438X PMID: 14726845 Document Number: 561961
This study reviews a rare and poorly understood anatomic anomaly of the thyroid region: non-recurrence of the inferior laryngeal nerve. We describe thirteen cases of non-recurrence of the laryngeal nerve observed during 2128 surgical procedures on the thyroid gland. The malformation was right-sided in all thirteen patients (11 women, 2 men) and occurred at a frequency of 0.4% of all of the nerves explored. Only two complications were noted in this series of 13 cases: one case of temporary paresis and one case of irreversible vocal cord paralysis. A rare although not exceptional occurrence, non-recurrence of the inferior laryngeal nerve is an anomaly that Head and Neck surgeons should be familiar with so as to avoid nerve damage that can result in irreversible vocal cord paralysis.