Thyroid surgery and recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring.
Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis is a much-dreaded complication of thyroid surgery.


OBJECTIVE
To study the feasibility and the reliability of a recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring technique.


METHODS
This was a prospective study including 36 patients proposed for thyroid surgery with recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring. They underwent post-operative fibre-optic laryngeal examination and speech therapist consultation.


RESULTS
Our technique of nerve monitoring showed a 98 per cent sensitivity and 86 per cent specificity.


CONCLUSIONS
Recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring is a feasible and reliable technique. It can be used to avoid bilateral nerve injury and to increase the surgeon's confidence but not to replace a systematic nerve identification and a careful dissection.
Department of ENT and Maxillofacial Surgery, Pasteur Hospital, Nice, France. soetserge@libertysurf.fr
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S
Bailleux
A
A
Bozec
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L
Castillo
J
J
Santini
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000601:surgery; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012009:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000601:surgery*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*