title: Functional role of human laryngeal nerve connections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Current knowledge of the functional role of human laryngeal nerves is based on traditional laryngeal neuroanatomic descriptions or contradictory electromyographic studies. The aim of this study was to clarify the functional role of neural connections between laryngeal nerves by correlating the different electromyographic patterns observed after laryngeal stimulation and the existence of different neural connections.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electromyographic and morphologic study in 13 patients during total laryngectomy procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven patients showed an additional evoked response from the cricothyroid muscle after recurrent laryngeal nerve stimulation. External laryngeal nerve stimulation resulted in additional responses from the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle in three cases and from the arytenoid muscle in one. The presence of a neural connection was confirmed in all patients who showed an unexpected electromyographic response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The different connections between laryngeal nerves are at least partially of motor nature and play a role in the mobility of vocal folds.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, HGU Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin-Oviedo
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maranillo
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lowy-Benoliel
authors.forename: Aran
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pascual-Font
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martinez-Guirado
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Niedenführ
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sañudo
authors.forename: Bartolome
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scola
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vazquez
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D007823:Laryngeal Nerves / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology