• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.188-191
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• 2000

In thyroid and parathyroid surgery, damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve(RLN) is the most common iatrogenic cause of vocal cord paralysis. Identification and preservation of the BLNs and meticulous technique can siginificantly decrease the incidence of this complication. We experienced one case of NRRLN in a patient with the parathyroid adenoma. During the dissection, there was no branch to be considered as RLN in tracheoesophageal groove. While searching for the RLN, We found a white structure coursing horizontally at the level of cricoid cartilage directly arising from the vagus nerve in the carotid sheath. That structure was nonrecurrent recurrent laryngeal nerve(NRRLN) and NRRLNs are exceedingly rare. Awareness of the possibility of NRRLN will prevent the surgeon from accidentally severing one if it is encountered during surgery.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.232-234
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• 1997

After the first report of mitral stenosis as a cause of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy by Ortner in 1897, many authors have described that some kinds of cardiovascular disease might contribute to the development of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. The estimated rate of aortic aneurysm related with recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy is about 5%. Aortic aneurysm is classified into 3 types according to the involving segment of aorta in which aneurysms develop, and the first class-aneurysm in ascending aorta and aortic arch-is known to be the only type related to recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Recently we experienced two cases of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy each of which had aneurysm on aortic arch as a major contributing factor. We report these cases with brief review of the literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.391-394
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• 2017

Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury can develop following cervical or thoracic surgery; however, few reports have described intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring. Consensus regarding the use of this technique during thoracic surgery is lacking. We used intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring in a patient with contralateral vocal cord paralysis who was scheduled for completion pneumonectomy. This case serves as an example of intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring during thoracic surgery and supports this indication for its use.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 1996

From October 1991 to June 1995, 4 medialization thyroplasties and I arytenoid adduction were simultaneously performed with the thyroid surgery when the unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve was paralyzed before or during thyroidectomy. Four cases were papillary carcinoma with direct invasion to the unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve, and one case was huge adenomatous goiter and the recurrent laryngeal nerve was incidentaly cut. Hoarseness was present preoperatively with mean duration of 15 months and aspiration was also present in three cases. After phonosurgery, voice was improved in 4 out of 5 cases and aspiration subsided in 2 out of 3 cases. In one case, hoarseness continued after total thyroidectomy and thyroplasty type I and the arytenoid adduction with planned due to posterior glottic gap of 2mm. We suggest that the thyroplasty type I or arytenoid adduction are primary phonosurgical procedures which ran be performed concomitantly with neck surgeries in the patients with paralysis of the unilateral recurrent laryngeal or vagus nerve damage during neck surgeries.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.178-184
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• 2000

Laryngeal evoked EMG is the objective and quantitative method to measure the innervation of laryngeal muscle. If there is a mobility disorder of vocal cords, the cause and location of neural lesion co be understood by the laryngeal evoked EMG and if there is a vocal cord paralysis, the degree of recovery and the policy of treatment can be determined by it. Recently, the studies of reinnervation after recurrent laryngeal nerve injury have been actively carried out. Laryngeal evoked EMC is useful to these studies. The aim of study is to know whether noninvasive methods for stimulating the recurrent laryngeal nerve and for recording of compound action potential(CAP) using surface electrode are as useful as the invasive method using needle electrode. We obtained EMG of laryngeal muscle by various stimulating and recording methods : 1) Direct nerve stimulation by placing nerve cuff electrode made out of silastic tube and platinum wire and recording by insertion of hook wire electrode into posterior cricoarytenoid(PCA) and thyroarytenoid(TA) muscles, respectively. 2) Recording of compound action potential by surface electrode after stimulation of recurrent laryngeal nerve by the insertion of 27 gauge of needle electrode. 3) Recording of compound action potential by surface electrode after stimulating the recurrent laryngeal nerve by transcutaneous blunt rod electrode at tracheoesophageal groove. The amplitude, duration and latency of the CAP evoked by recurrent laryngeal nerve stimulation were compared among the three groups. The amplitude of CAP was smallest in the group recorded from posterior cricoarytenoid and hyroarytenoid muscle, and that recorded by surface electrode after stimulation by needle electrode was largest. The difference in amplitude between the group by hook wire recording and the two groups by surface electrode recording was significant statistically. There is no significant difference in duration and latency among three groups. Since the waveform of CAP from all three methods has similar duration, latency, we concluded that noninvasive method is a useful as invasive methods.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.71-75
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• 2012

Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis is the most common and serious complication after thyroid cancer surgery. The objective of this study was to report the advantages of the vein wrapping technique for nerve reconstruction in patients with thyroid cancer invading the recurrent laryngeal nerve and its effects on postoperative phonatory function. The subjects were three patients who underwent resection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during surgical extirpation of papillary thyroid cancer. Free ansa cervicalis nerve graft or direct neurorrhaphy with a vein wrapping technique was used to facilitate nerve regeneration, protect the anastomosed nerve site mechanically, and prevent neuroma formation. One-year postoperative laryngoscopic examination revealed good vocal cord mobility. Maximum phonation time ($19.5{\pm}0.3$ sec) was longer than a previously-reported value in conventional reconstruction patients ($18.8{\pm}6.6$ sec). The present phonation efficiency index ($7.88{\pm}0.78$) was higher than that previously calculated in conventional reconstruction ($7.59{\pm}2.82$). The mean value of the Voice Handicap Index-10 was 6, which was within the normal range. This study demonstrates improvement in phonation indices measured 1 year after recurrent laryngeal nerve reconstruction. Our results confirm that the vein wrapping technique has theoretical advantages and could be favored over conventional reconstruction techniques for invenerate nerve injuries.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 1995

The anatomic course of recurrent laryngeal nerve, its branch and its function were most significant for laryngeal, thyroid and tracheoesophageal surgery. Furthermore, the vocal cord palsy resulting from multi-etiology was serious complication and resulted in affecting the life quality. So, for the prevention of this complication, the concepts and knowledge about anatomic course and variants are very important. At now, most of anatomic courses and it's function has been identified precisely. But recently, the report about the anastomotic loops of both recurrent laryngeal nerve was published. In this study, we explored three cadevors for identifying the reality of the anastomotic loops between recurrent laryngeal nerves. Finally, we identified the cervicomediastinal anastomosis at tracheoesophageal groove in 2 of 3 cadevors that was confirmed by pathologic finding. This anatomic reliefs related to it's branch are extremely interest, although research is still in its initial phase. Our study will be extended toward histomorphometrical study and progressive electrophysiologic study, and we will be able io gather the largest amount of useful data regarding any possible use of this anatomic entity in future.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7457-7461
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• 2015

Some thyroid cancer patients undergone insufficient tumor removal in the primary surgery in China. our aim is to evaluate the impact of dissection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during a salvage thyroid cancer operation in these patients to prevent nerve injury. Clinical data of 49 enrolled patients who received a salvage thyroid operation were retrospectively reviewed. Primary pathology was thyroid papillary cancer. The initial procedure performed included nodulectomy (20 patients), partial thyroidectomy (19 patients) and subtotal thyroidectomy (10 patients). The effect of dissection and protection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the mechanism of nerve injury were studied. The cervical courses of the recurrent laryngeal nerves were successfully dissected in all cases. Nerves were adherent to or involved by scars in 22 cases. Three were ligated near the place where the nerve entered the larynx, while another three were cut near the intersection of inferior thyroid artery with the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Light hoarseness occurred to four patients without a preoperative voice change. In conclusion, accurate primary diagnosis allows for a sufficient primary operation to be performed, avoiding insufficient tumor removal that requires a secondary surgery. The most important cause of nerve damage resulted from not identifying the recurrent laryngeal nerve during first surgery, and meticulous dissection during salvage surgery was the most efficient method to avoid nerve damage.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.57-59
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• 2017

A non-recurrent laryngeal nerve on the left side is a rare anomaly which is reported in 0.04% and it is associated with abnormal developments of the aortic arch during embryogenesis. Although the possibility is extremely low, it is important to consider the possible existence of a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve to prevent a nerve injury during thyroidectomy. We experienced a 42 year-old male with left thyroid papillary cancer who had right side aortic arch and aberrant left subclavian artery. Even though we found that this patient had a recurrent laryngeal nerve, we present this case of the right aortic arch with an aberrant left subclavian artery variation with a brief review of literature.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.172-177
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• 2000

Background and Objectives : Until now, various attempts have been made fir reinnervating paralyzed vocal cord. Nevertheless, the most cases did not produce satisfactory outcome due to occurrence of synkinesis of larynx secondary to misdirected axonal regeneration. Accordingly, the purpose of this investigation is to learn the effect of chronic electrical stimulation on regeneration of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Material and Methods : Using 20 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats(250-300g) with normal vocal functions, transections were made on their left recurrent laryngeal nerves and then primary anastomosis were performed under the operating microscope and they were divided into an experimental group and a control group each having 10 rats. After the procedure, for the experimental group, chronic electrical stimulation was carried out until vocal cord movement was functionally recovered. for the control group, only chronic electrical stimulation was not given. Result : In experimental group, the number of functionally recovered rats was two and in control group, that of functionally recovered rate was same. The reorganization of posterior cricoarytenoid muscle motoneuron in nucleus ambiguus appeared in the case of directed reinnervation of recurrent laryngeal nerve. Conclusion : The chronic electrical stimulation does not a direct beneficial effect on the early functional recovery in rats with injured recurrent laryngeal nerve.