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Pre-operative prediction of a right non-recurrent laryngeal nerve by computed tomography

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2013

B T Varghese ,
K P Desai  and
A Ramachandran
B T Varghese*
Affiliation:
Department of Surgical Oncology (Head and Neck Service), Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum, India
K P Desai
Affiliation:
Department of Surgical Oncology (Head and Neck Service), Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum, India
A Ramachandran
Affiliation:
Department of Imageology, Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum, India
*
Address for correspondence: Dr B T Varghese, Department of Surgical Oncology (Head and Neck Service), Regional Cancer Centre, Medical College Campus, Trivandrum 695 011, India E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective:

This paper reports a case of a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve which was accurately predicted pre-operatively using computed tomography.

Case report:

A 61-year-old man presented with papillary thyroid carcinoma with lymph node metastasis. Computed tomography scans of the neck and chest revealed an ill-defined, hypoattenuating nodule in the right lobe of the thyroid gland, with few upper paratracheal and prevascular nodes, and clear lung fields. The retro-oesophageal course of the right subclavian artery, which was arising from the distal portion of the arch of aorta, was also incidentally revealed in the computed tomography scan. A barium swallow further confirmed the presence of a retro-oesophageal subclavian artery. Total thyroidectomy was performed, with right neck dissection and central compartment clearance. This was carried out with the presence of a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve in mind, and the nerve was accurately localised and preserved.

Conclusion:

To our knowledge this is the first report in the world literature of accurate pre-operative incidental imaging of the right non-recurrent laryngeal nerve in a case of metastatic thyroid cancer, and the subsequent use of computed tomography to guide surgical navigation.

Keywords

Laryngeal NervesComputed TomographyThyroidectomyInjuriesLaryngeal Nerve InjuriesAnatomy
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 127 , Issue 5 , May 2013 , pp. 525 - 527
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2013 

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