IJAR.2016.490
Type of Article: Original Research
Volume 5; Issue 1 (January 2017)
Page No.: 3404-3409
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijar.2016.490
STUDY ON RECURRENT LARYNGEAL NERVE: ITS POSITION AND RELATIONSHIP WITH INFERIOR THYROID ARTERY
Roshan S *1, Varsha R Bhivate 2, Nivedita Pandey 3, Smita Bhagwanrao Shinde 4.
*1 MBBS, MD, Associate Professor, Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
2 MBBS, MD, Assistant Professor,Terna Medical College, Nerul, Navi, Mumbai, Maharashtra , India
3 MBBS, MD, Associate Professor, B.P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
4 MBBS,MD, Assistant Professor, MGM Medical College, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
Corresponding address: Dr.Roshan S., Reshma nivas, LIG 74, KHB Colony, Bondel, Kavoor post, Mangalore – 575015 Karnataka, India. PH: +91-9480077030 (Mob) E-Mail: kmcroshan@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Background: The recurrent laryngeal nerve crossing the inferior thyroid artery is often considered to be the most vulnerable location when performing a thyroidectomy because of many varieties of nerve – artery relations at this site. Injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve is one of the most frequent and important causes of morbidity in thyroidectomies and is feared by both patient and surgeon.
Objective: To locate the position of the Recurrent Laryngeal nerve and observe the relationship with the Inferior Thyroid artery near the lower pole of the thyroid gland.
Materials and Methods: The observation was performed by dissecting fifty human cadavers at anatomy department dissection hall of MGM Medical College, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra as per objective of the study.
Results: The results showed that Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve lying within the tracheo-oesophageal groove was 88% (44 cases) on right side and 92% on the left, the difference however was not significant (p>0.05). It was also observed that the nerve was lying lateral to tracheo-oesophageal groove in the remaining cases.
In relationship between the Inferior thyroid artery and recurrent laryngeal nerve, on the right side the nerve was found in 66% instances posterior to the artery and in 34% in between the branches. On the left side the nerve was found in 74% posterior to the artery and in 26% in between the branches.
Conclusion: Variations in the relationship of Recurrent Laryngeal nerve and inferior thyroid arteries are well documented in literature. To ensure safety of recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery, surgeons should have extensive knowledge of position of recurrent laryngeal nerve and its relationship with inferior thyroid artery.
Key words: Recurrent Laryngeal nerve, Inferior thyroid artery, Cadaver, Tracheo-oesophageal groove, Lower pole of thyroid gland.
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