title: Is Nerve Monitoring Required in Total Thyroidectomy? Cerrahpasa Experience.
abstract: Thyroidectomy is an elective operation performed in an anatomically complex region in which certain structures are responsible for vital functions and special senses. This study aims to compare the effects of two different technical approaches-nerve dissection combined with intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) and no nerve identification-on recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) damage in total thyroidectomy. One hundred and sixty-one consecutive cases that underwent total thyroidectomy and 322 RLN under risk were evaluated. In group 1 (n = 162), nerve dissection combined with IONM was performed, whereas no RLN identification was performed in group 2 (n = 160). While the duration of operation in group 1 (34.23 ± 12.21 min) was statistically shorter than that in group 2 (36.98 ± 16.79 min, p = 0.017), there was no significant difference between groups related to RLN palsy (group 1 n = 10, group 2 n = 7). Use of IONM was found only to shorten the duration of operation. According to our presented experience, there is no benefit of IONM-combined routine dissection of RLN during total thyroidectomy on the prevention of RLN palsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Tip Fakultesi Genel Cerrahi AD, Fatih, 34098 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teksoz
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Tip Fakultesi Genel Cerrahi AD, Fatih, 34098 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bukey
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Tip Fakultesi Genel Cerrahi AD, Fatih, 34098 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Tip Fakultesi Genel Cerrahi AD, Fatih, 34098 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Akif Enes
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Arikan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Tip Fakultesi Genel Cerrahi AD, Fatih, 34098 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ates
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozyegin
keywords: Nerve injury; Nerve monitoring; Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN); Total thyroidectomy