title: Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy after thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Experience from Lund University.
abstract: All cases undergoing neck operation for thyroid or parathyroid disease at Lund University Hospital, Lund, over a 7 year period were examined with indirect laryngoscopy pre- and postoperatively for the determination of the true incidence of operatively induced palsy of the recurrent laryngeal nerves. A total of 1.048 patients were operated; 810 females and 238 males. At 439 operations, bilateral neck exploration was performed; hence, 1.487 nerves were at risk for complications. It was found that immediate postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy was induced in 72 patients (= 4.8% of nerves at risk). In 44 of these patients, the palsy was temporary and disappeared within 6 months. Therefore, a total of 28 patients developed permanent nerve palsy postoperatively. In 5 of these operations, the nerve was intentionally divided, yielding a true incidence of permanent accidental postoperative nerve palsy of 1.6% of nerves at risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ahrén
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Månsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012306:Risk; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000601:surgery*