Incidence of vocal cord paralysis with and without recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring during thyroidectomy. 2007

Maisie Shindo, and Neil N Chheda
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY 11794-8191, USA. mshindo@notes.cc.stonybrook.edu

OBJECTIVE To compare the incidence of postoperative vocal cord paresis or paralysis in a cohort of patients who underwent thyroidectomy with and without continuous recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) monitoring by a single senior surgeon. We hypothesize that continuous RLN monitoring reduces the rate of nerve injury during thyroidectomy METHODS Retrospective medical chart review. METHODS Academic tertiary care medical center. METHODS A total of 684 patients (1043 nerves at risk) who underwent thyroid surgery under general anesthesia. METHODS Incidence of vocal cord paresis or paralysis in patients who underwent thyroid surgery with continuous RLN monitoring vs those undergoing surgery without continuous RLN monitoring. RESULTS The incidence of unexpected unilateral vocal cord paresis based on RLNs at risk was 2.09% (n = 14) in the monitored group and 2.96% (n = 11) in the unmonitored group. This difference was not statistically significant. The incidence of unexpected complete unilateral vocal cord paralysis was 1.6% in each group. Two of the 5 paralyses in the unmonitored group and 7 of the 11 paralyses in the monitored group had complete resolution. CONCLUSIONS Monitoring of the RLN does not appear to reduce the incidence of postoperative temporary or permanent complete vocal cord paralysis. There appeared to be a slightly lower rate of postoperative paresis with RLN monitoring, but this difference was not statistically significant.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D012009 Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Branches of the vagus (tenth cranial) nerve. The recurrent laryngeal nerves originate more caudally than the superior laryngeal nerves and follow different paths on the right and left sides. They carry efferents to all muscles of the larynx except the cricothyroid and carry sensory and autonomic fibers to the laryngeal, pharyngeal, tracheal, and cardiac regions. Laryngeal Nerve, Inferior,Inferior Laryngeal Nerve,Inferior Laryngeal Nerves,Laryngeal Nerve, Recurrent,Laryngeal Nerves, Inferior,Laryngeal Nerves, Recurrent,Nerve, Inferior Laryngeal,Nerve, Recurrent Laryngeal,Nerves, Inferior Laryngeal,Nerves, Recurrent Laryngeal,Recurrent Laryngeal Nerves
D004576 Electromyography Recording of the changes in electric potential of muscle by means of surface or needle electrodes. Electromyogram,Surface Electromyography,Electromyograms,Electromyographies,Electromyographies, Surface,Electromyography, Surface,Surface Electromyographies
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective
D013965 Thyroidectomy Surgical removal of the thyroid gland. (Dorland, 28th ed) Thyroidectomies
D014826 Vocal Cord Paralysis Congenital or acquired paralysis of one or both VOCAL CORDS. This condition is caused by defects in the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, the VAGUS NERVE and branches of LARYNGEAL NERVES. Common symptoms are VOICE DISORDERS including HOARSENESS or APHONIA. Laryngeal Nerve Palsy, Recurrent,Laryngeal Paralysis,Acquired Vocal Cord Palsy,Bilateral Vocal Cord Paresis,Congenital Vocal Cord Palsy,Paralysis, Unilateral, Vocal Cord,Paralysis, Vocal Cord, Unilateral,Partial Paralysis (Paresis) Vocal Cords,Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Palsy,Total Vocal Cord Paralysis,Unilateral Paralysis, Vocal Cord,Unilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis,Unilateral Vocal Cord Paresis,Vocal Cord Palsy,Vocal Cord Palsy, Congenital,Vocal Cord Paralysis, Unilateral,Vocal Cord Paresis,Vocal Fold Palsy,Laryngeal Paralyses,Palsies, Vocal Cord,Palsies, Vocal Fold,Palsy, Vocal Cord,Palsy, Vocal Fold,Paralyses, Laryngeal,Paralyses, Vocal Cord,Paralysis, Laryngeal,Paralysis, Vocal Cord,Pareses, Vocal Cord,Paresis, Vocal Cord,Vocal Cord Palsies,Vocal Cord Paralyses,Vocal Cord Pareses,Vocal Fold Palsies
D015994 Incidence The number of new cases of a given disease during a given period in a specified population. It also is used for the rate at which new events occur in a defined population. It is differentiated from PREVALENCE, which refers to all cases in the population at a given time. Attack Rate,Cumulative Incidence,Incidence Proportion,Incidence Rate,Person-time Rate,Secondary Attack Rate,Attack Rate, Secondary,Attack Rates,Cumulative Incidences,Incidence Proportions,Incidence Rates,Incidence, Cumulative,Incidences,Person time Rate,Person-time Rates,Proportion, Incidence,Rate, Attack,Rate, Incidence,Rate, Person-time,Rate, Secondary Attack,Secondary Attack Rates
D016343 Monitoring, Intraoperative The constant checking on the state or condition of a patient during the course of a surgical operation (e.g., checking of vital signs). Intraoperative Monitoring

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