title: [Anatomic study on the recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the anatomic characteristic and dissecting approach of recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of surgical data of consecutive 56 patients undertook thyroid surgery was conducted, in which total 63 recurrent laryngeal nerves were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A nerve bifurcation was found in 48 recurrent laryngeal nerves. Twenty-nine nerves were deep to the inferior thyroid artery, 19 were superficial to the artery, 8 were between the arteries. The inferior thyroid artery was not found in 7 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Correct identification and safe dissection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve are essential in thyroid surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Third Hospital of Peking University, Beijing 100083, China. doctorwangli@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012009:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods