| Preoperative Ultrasound Prediction and Intraoperative Neuromonitoring for Preservation of a Non-Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve During Thyroidectomy: A Case Report |
Chang Heum Han
, Jun Seop Kim
, Sukjune Byun
, Yong Jin Song
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| Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Gangneung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung, Korea |
| 갑상선 절제술 전 초음파를 통한 비반회후두신경의 예측 및 수술 중 신경모니터링을 통한 보존: 증례 보고 1예 |
| 한창흠
, 김준섭
, 변석준
, 송용진
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| 울산대학교 의과대학 강릉아산병원 이비인후과학교실 |
| Correspondence |
Yong Jin Song ,Tel: +82-33-610-3309, Fax: +82-33-642-3189, Email: yjsong.yjs@gmail.com
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Received: 4 June 2025; Revised: July 23, 2025 Accepted: 30 July 2025. Published online: 3 September 2025. |
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| ABSTRACT |
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Vocal cord paralysis, one of the most notable complications of thyroidectomy, is primarily caused by injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN), with the risk increasing in cases of anatomical variation. To prevent such complications, tools like preoperative CT, ultrasonography, and intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) have been widely adopted and studied. We recently encountered a patient scheduled for thyroidectomy was found with an aberrant right subclavian artery identified on CT, suggesting the possibility of a right-sided non-recurrent laryngeal nerve (NRLN). Preoperative ultrasound showed a nerve branch arising directly from the vagus nerve at the level of the cricoid cartilage, supporting the suspicion of NRLN. IONM was used during surgery. The nerve was safely identified, allowing the surgery to proceed without complications such as vocal cord paralysis. This case suggests that preoperative ultrasonographic evaluation can enable the surgeons and radiologists to identify NRLN directly by ultrasonographic imaging. |
| Keywords:
Monitoring, intraoperativeㆍ Recurrent laryngeal nerveㆍ Thyroidectomyㆍ Ultrasonography |
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