• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.13-15
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• 2015

Intraoperative neuromonitoring of thyroid surgery has gained universal validity to help in nerve identification, safe nerve dissection, and prediction of postoperative vocal cord function. In this article, standard intraoperative neuromonitoring procedure, interpretation about loss of signal, and the indications covered by health insurance will be described.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2010

Background and Objectives : Transient minor voice changes after thyroidectomy are not infrequent complaints even in cases without any evidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve damage. However, clinical course, diagnosis and management of such voice changes are not fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of minor voice changes after thyroidectomy. We also tried to assess the significance and feasibility of superior laryngeal nerve monitoring and to find out the optimal evaluation tools for such voice changes after thyroidectomy. Materials and Method : Nine adult patients who received total thyroidectomy without evidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury were enrolled for this prospective study. Voice evaluations were performed preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively ; acoustic analyses including voice range profile, aerodynamic study, stroboscopic evaluation and subjective voice assessment with questionnaires. The external branch of superior laryngeal nerve was monitored by nerve stimulator after ligation of superior thyroidal vessels. Results: Four of nine patients complained their voice change at 3 months after the surgery. Three of them reported complete recovery of their voice at 6 months after the surgery. Acoustic analysis revealed significant decrease in their phonatory range especially with high tone loss. Questionnaires related to singing was more sensitive than previously well-known "voice handicap index". Stimulation of the superior laryngeal nerve was feasible in most of the cases (94.4%), but it failed to show any correlation with minor voice changes after thyroidectomy. Conclusion : Minor voice changes were not rare events during the first 6 month after thyroidectomy. Decrease in phonatory range with high tone loss and therefore, discomfort in singing was the most common finding. Superior laryngeal monitoring was feasible but it was not a sensitive tool for the prediction of minor voice change after thyroidectomy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 2009

The laryngeal peripheral nerve system is presented on the basis of our results in the animal. This present paper forcused on the localization of each laryngeal motoneuron, the myotopical arrangements of motoneurons innervating the pharyngeal and esophageal striated muscles whitin the nucleus ambiguous in the motor nerve supply, and the pathway to the larynx in the sensory and symphathetic nerve supplies. Regarding the parasympathetic nerve supply, the neural ganglia and the ganglionic cells in and around the laryngeal nerves and in the laryngeal framework are demonstrated. Most of this innervations, however, is still unclear. In addition, we presented about external branch of superior laryngeal nerve and inferior laryngeal nerve. Discuss from the literature are also reported.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.264-266
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• 2012

Injury to the bilateral internal branch of superior laryngeal nerve (ibSLN) brings on an impairment of the laryngeal cough reflex that could potentially result in aspiration pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses. We describe a patient with traumatic cervical injury who underwent bilateral ibSLN palsy after anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF). An 75-year-old man visited with cervical spine fracture and he underwent ACDF through a right side approach. During the post-operative days, he complained of high pitched tone defect, and occasional coughing during meals. With a suspicion of SLN injury and for the work up for the cause of aspiration, we performed several studies. According to the study results, he was diagnosed as right SLN and left ibSLN palsy. We managed him for protecting from silent aspiration. Swallowing study was repeated and no evidence of aspiration was found. The patient was discharged with incomplete recovery of a high pitched tone and improved state of neurologic status. The SLN is an important structure; therefore, spine surgeons need to be concerned and be cautious about SLN injury during high cervical neck dissection, especially around the level of C3-C4 and a suspicious condition of a contralateral nerve injury.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.16-20
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• 2015

Post-thyroidectomy dysphonia occurs very frequently. Causes of dysphonia include recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) or external branch of superior laryngeal nerve (EBSL) injury, intubation, laryngotracheal fixation and other causes. Patients commonly characterized hoarseness or their voice impairment inability to short or sing and loss of loudness. Although complete recovery can be expected mostly in 3 months without obvious nerve injury, dysphonia lowers patients quality of life. The present review discuss the very kinds of causes of post-thyroidectomy dysphonia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 1998

Instead of brilliant advancement of the organ transplantation in the medical fields, laryngeal transplantation still has couple of problems to be solved before trial on human. Among them functional restoration of the implanted larynx is the most important point. Recent advancement in animal model studies showed possibility of solving the main problem. Eighteen cases of canine laryngeal transplantation in mongrel dogs were done in this department. One cranial artery and two external jugular veins were connected. External and internal branches of the superior layngeal nerve and anterior and posterior branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerve were connected individually. Only two dogs have lived longer than 4 weeks(4weeks, and 10 1/2weeks) and they died unfortunately due to asphixia caused by obstruction of the cannula. Thirteen dogs only lived five days through 15 days. The main causes of the failure were obstruction of the connecting vein, pharyngocutaneous fistula and the wound infection. Although the result was not good enough to evaluate the functional restoration of the implanted larynx, the implanted larynges from the two dogs lived longer than minimum criteria of long term survival(4 weeks) were relatively good in shape at the time of autopsy. This program will be continued after renovation of the animal lab. facilities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.137-140
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• 2015

Neurofibroma is characterized as a benign, slow growing neoplasm, originating from Schwann cells or fibroblast in peripheral nerve sheaths. It may appear as a solitary tumor or have multiple localizations in von Recklinghausen disease. They are commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract and laryngeal neurofibromas are extremely rare, accounting for only 0.03 to 0.1% of benign tumors of the larynx. The aryepiglottic fold and arytenoid are the common site of occurrence for laryngeal neurofibroma, because the branch of the superior laryngeal nerve is involved. We present a case of solitary plexiform neurofibroma arising from the laryngeal surface of epiglottis in a 55-year old female who found the lesion incidentally. We removed the tumor completely by transoral laser surgery and no recurrence was found after 7 months. The case of solitary neurofibroma arising from laryngeal surface of epiglottis has not been reported in Korea. We report this case regarding the diagnosis and treatment with review of literatures.

• Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1019-1027
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• 2017

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics between neurogenic and non-neurogenic cause of vocal cord immobility (VCI). Methods The researchers retrospectively reviewed clinical data of patients who underwent laryngeal electromyography (LEMG). LEMG was performed in the bilateral cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscles. A total of 137 patients were enrolled from 2011 to 2016, and they were assigned to either the neurogenic or non-neurogenic VCI group, according to the LEMG results. The clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups and a subgroup analysis was done in the neurogenic group. Results Among the 137 subjects, 94 patients had nerve injury. There were no differences between the neurogenic and non-neurogenic group in terms of demographic data, underlying disease except cancer, and premorbid events. In general characteristics, cancer was significantly higher in the neurogenic group than non-neurogenic group (p=0.001). In the clinical findings, the impaired high pitched 'e' sound and aspiration symptoms were significantly higher in neurogenic group (p=0.039 for impaired high pitched 'e' sound; p=0.021 for aspiration symptoms), and sore throat was more common in the non-neurogenic group (p=0.014). In the subgroup analysis of neurogenic group, hoarseness was more common in recurrent laryngeal neuropathy group than superior laryngeal neuropathy group (p=0.018). Conclusion In patients with suspected vocal cord palsy, impaired high pitched 'e' sound and aspiration symptoms were more common in group with neurogenic cause of VCI. Hoarseness was more frequent in subjects with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. Thorough clinical evaluation and LEMG are important to differentiate underlying cause of VCI.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.3-7
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• 2006

Purpose: The nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve(NRLN) is a rare anomaly that is associated with the developmentally aberrant subclavian artery. Although rare on the right side and exceptional on the left, an aberrant nonrecurrent pathway for RLN represents a major surgical risk. Three course variations of right NRLN can be distinguished: descending(type I) , horizontal(type II), ascending(type III). This study is performed to characterize the variations of NRLN, associated vascular anomaly, and proper surgical methods for preventing nerve damage. Materials and Methods: Between January 1998 and March 2006 3,381 thyroidectomy were performed at our institution, and during these operations a nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve was observed in 13 cases (0.38%). There were 1 men and 12 women with a median age of 48 years(range 28-57). All of them are identified on the right side. Results: In all cases, there were no clinical symptoms observed preoperatively. The nerve anomaly was diagnosed preoperatively in only one case. There were type I variations of right RLN in 2 cases and type II variations in 11 cases. The retroesophageal aberrant right subcalvian artery; no innominate(brachiocephalic) artery was found and the right common carotic artery was arising directly from the aortic arch, was seen in 12 cases. A vocal cord palaysis caused by NRLN damage during operation was observed in one patient(7.6%) , where the nerve was close to the superior thyroid artery. No other complications were noted. Conclusion: It can be possible to predict NRLN from signs associated with the vascular anomaly; clinical symptoms or imaging studies. When an vascular anomaly is not detected preoperatively, overlooking possibility of NRLN may lead to severe operative morbidity. Hence, It is most important to identify all the thyroid structures carefully during thyroid surgery and to be aware of the possibility of anatomic variations of RLN.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.108-113
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• 2016

Background and Objectives : After thyroidectomy, many patients experience problems report such things as reduced voice range and vocal fatigue, swallowing problems without superior and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate voice and swallowing problems before and after thyroid surgery without laryngeal nerve injury. Materials and Methods : Ninety-three patients who underwent thyroidectomy without laryngeal nerve injury and completed the follow-up evaluations were studied between June 2013 and December 2015. Each evaluation was performed preoperatively, as well as 1 week, 1 month postoperatively. Analysis was performed including voice handicap index (VHI), dysphagia handicap index (DHI), and acoustic voice analysis. Results : Patients show significant variation of parameters in the fundamental frequency (F), maximal phonation time (MPT), shimmer, jitter and soft phonation index (SPI) early after operation, and most of them showed recovery of parameters after 1month of operation. Perceptive complaint of voice and swallowing also showed significant decreased after operation (p<0.005). After 1month of operation, MPT, highest frequency and frequency ranges still showed significant decreased parameters. Comparing acoustic and perceptive parameters of total thyroidectomy and lobectomy, there was no significant changes between them except highest frequency (p=0.042). Conclusion : The results from both subjective and objective evaluations show voice and swallowing disturbance after thyroidectomy even in the absence of laryngeal nerve and provide patients information about the recovery process after surgery. Highest frequency parameter showed most significant changes after operation.