Hypoglossal nerve palsy following the robotic thyroidectomy for the papillary thyroid carcinoma: A case report.
BACKGROUND
Endoscopic surgical techniques with robotic system in the thyroid cancer have been reported to show good results and advantages; however the risk of these techniques has not been fully documented.


METHODS
We experienced an uncommon complicated case of a 20-year-old woman with a papillary thyroid carcinoma. After the robotic thyroidectomy, she complained of the tongue deviation, speech and swallowing difficulties of hypoglossal nerve palsy.


CONCLUSIONS
In this case, a few etiologies could be suggested for the development of hypoglossal nerve palsy. It might be associated with direct stretching or entrapment of hypoglossal nerve during tumor resection; lateral placement of the laryngoscope on the tongue base; the hyperinflation of the laryngeal mask airway; and histological disruption of the intraneural connective tissue and blood circulation.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the robotic surgery is a creative technique and has been known to be safe and effective, the risk of this surgery including traumatic nerve injury should be taken into account before surgery.
Department of Neurology, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Suk-Won
SW
Ahn
Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: poplipss@hanmail.net.
Kyung Ho
KH
Kang
Hypoglossal nerve palsy; Robotic thyroidectomy; Thyroid cancer