[Risk factors in recurrent nerve paralysis: a statistical analysis of 7566 cases of struma surgery]

Between 1979-1988, 7566 operations for benign diseases of the thyroid gland were performed. The frequency of the paresis of the recurrent nerve examined between the third and fifth postoperative day was 5.2% for patients and 3.2% for resected lobes. The incidence was correlated to performed operative procedure (enucleation, subtotal resection, lobectomy) to size (weight of specimen) and to the expansion of the goiter (substernal, intrathoracic, retrotracheal) as well as to sex. These factors influence the risk of injury with high statistic significance. The side of resection and the ligature of the thyroid inferior artery also influenced the rate of recurrent nerve pareses. Age of patient and morphology of the thyroid disease did not cause an increasing risk of nerve injury.