title: Neuromonitoring of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery.
abstract: Changes of the voice caused by injury of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) during thyroid surgery may have essential consequences for a patient's life. Therefore, intraoperative effort has to be made to prevent EBSLN damage. Neuromonitoring has already been described as helpful to improve the identification rate of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. We describe our surgical procedure of upper thyroid pole preparation using neuromonitoring to avoid intraoperative damage of the superior laryngeal nerve. Neuromonitoring allowed safe preparation of the upper thyroid pole without injury of the ESBLN in 108 consecutive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Städtisches Klinikum, Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bähr
mesh_terms: D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D004210:Dissection; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D061224:Laryngeal Nerve Injuries; D007823:Laryngeal Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology; D012009:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D061226:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries; D012449:Safety; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000209:etiology; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000209:etiology