title: Medially placed vagus nerve in relation to common carotid artery: a pointer to a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve.
abstract: The aim of this study was to highlight a medialized vagus in relation to common carotid artery as an operative marker to a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgeries. Three patients who underwent thyroidectomy, in who per operative diagnosis of right non-recurrent laryngeal nerve was made and the findings were confirmed radiologically by demonstration of aberrant subclavian artery were included in the study. A medially placed vagus nerve in relation to common carotid artery was the common observation in all the 3 patients. With no operative marker to identify a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve, it is more prone to injury during thyroidectomies. Vagus nerve which was constantly seen medial to the common carotid artery in all our three patients can be used as an operative marker to a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, Karnataka, India, sagayaraj79@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sagayaraj
authors.forename: Ravi Padmakar
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Deo
authors.forename: Shuaib
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merchant
authors.forename: S M Azeem
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mohiyuddin
authors.forename: Abhishek C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Nayak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018376:Cardiovascular Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000601:surgery; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012009:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D061226:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013348:Subclavian Artery / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome