Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026
Identification and Protection of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve during Transoral Robotic Thyroidectomy
Published on: October 24, 2025
[Safety of routine exposure of recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery]
Ri-Xiang Gong1, Min Zhang, Shu-Hua Luo
1Department of Thyroid Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Objective:
To explore the safe approach to routine exposure of the recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery.
Methods:
A total of 1974 sides of laryngeal nerves were exposed in 1458 thyroid surgeries, which included six right side non-recurrent laryngeal nerves. Ninety seven percent (1915 sides of the laryngeal nerves) were exposed through inferior thyroid artery way. The rest were exposed through nerve entrance way (38 sides, 1.9%) or isthmus-to-tracheoesophageal groove way (21 sides, 1.1%).
Results:
Permanent injury of recurrent laryngeal nerves occurred in seven cases, which comprised 0.5% of the total surgeries. Transient injury of recurrent laryngeal nerves occurred in 24 cases, which comprised 1.6% of the total surgeries.
Conclusion:
Routine exposure of recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery is safe. The exposure should be started from the inferior thyroid artery and be ended at the nerve entrance into laryngeal.
