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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Identification and Protection of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve during Transoral Robotic Thyroidectomy
Published on: October 24, 2025
Bilateral vocal cord palsy during carotid endarterectomy under cervical plexus block
Angel O K Kwok1, Brendan S Silbert, Kara J Allen
1Department of Anaesthesiology and Operating Theatre Services, Kwong Wah Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
Abstract:
We describe a case of vocal cord palsy leading to respiratory obstruction during carotid endarterectomy under cervical plexus block in a patient who had preexisting contralateral vocal cord paralysis subsequent to a previous thyroidectomy. The patient required immediate tracheal intubation and subsequent tracheostomy to maintain the airway postoperatively. Care must be given to avoid contralateral vocal cord paralysis in the presence of a preexisting vocal cord palsy.
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