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External laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery: is the nerve stimulator necessary?

Aina EN, Hisham AN

Eur J Surg, 2001 Sep;167(9):662-5.
PMID: 11759734 DOI: 10.1080/11024150152619282

OBJECTIVE: To find out the incidence and type of external laryngeal nerves during operations on the thyroid, and to assess the role of a nerve stimulator in detecting them.
DESIGN: Prospective, non-randomised study.
SETTING: Teaching hospital, Malaysia.
SUBJECTS: 317 patients who had 447 dissections between early January 1998 and late November 1999.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Number and type of nerves crossing the cricothyroid space, and the usefulness of the nerve stimulator in finding them.
RESULTS: The nerve stimulator was used in 206/447 dissections (46%). 392 external laryngeal nerves were seen (88%), of which 196/206 (95%) were detected with the stimulator. However, without the stimulator 196 nerves were detected out of 241 dissections (81%). The stimulator detected 47 (23%) Type I nerves (nerve > 1 cm from the upper edge of superior pole); 86 (42%) Type IIa nerves (nerve < 1 cm from the upper edge of superior pole); and 63 (31%) Type IIb nerves (nerve below upper edge of superior pole). 10 nerves were not detected. When the stimulator was not used the corresponding figures were 32 (13%), 113 (47%), and 51 (21%), and 45 nerves were not seen. If the nerve cannot be found we recommend dissection of capsule close to the medial border of the upper pole of the thyroid to avoid injury to the nerve.
CONCLUSION: Although the use of the nerve stimulator seems desirable, it confers no added advantage in finding the nerve. In the event of uncertainty about whether a structure is the nerve, the stimulator may help to confirm it. However, exposure of the cricothyroid space is most important for good exposure in searching for the external laryngeal nerve.

Matched MeSH terms: Laryngeal Nerves/anatomy & histology*
Fulltext Does laryngeal reinnervation or type I thyroplasty give better voice results for patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (VOCALIST): study protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial

Blackshaw H, Carding P, Jepson M, Mat Baki M, Ambler G, Schilder A, et al.

BMJ Open, 2017 Sep 29;7(9):e016871.
PMID: 28965097 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016871

INTRODUCTION: A functioning voice is essential for normal human communication. A good voice requires two moving vocal folds; if one fold is paralysed (unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP)) people suffer from a breathy, weak voice that tires easily and is unable to function normally. UVFP can also result in choking and breathlessness. Current treatment for adults with UVFP is speech therapy to stimulate recovery of vocal fold (VF) motion or function and/or injection of the paralysed VF with a material to move it into a more favourable position for the functioning VF to close against. When these therapies are unsuccessful, or only provide temporary relief, surgery is offered. Two available surgical techniques are: (1) surgical medialisation; placing an implant near the paralysed VF to move it to the middle (thyroplasty) and/or repositioning the cartilage (arytenoid adduction) or (2) restoring the nerve supply to the VF (laryngeal reinnervation). Currently there is limited evidence to determine which surgery should be offered to adults with UVFP.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A feasibility study to test the practicality of running a multicentre, randomised clinical trial of surgery for UVFP, including: (1) a qualitative study to understand the recruitment process and how it operates in clinical centres and (2) a small randomised trial of 30 participants recruited at 3 UK sites comparing non-selective laryngeal reinnervation to type I thyroplasty. Participants will be followed up for 12 months. The primary outcome focuses on recruitment and retention, with secondary outcomes covering voice, swallowing and quality of life.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was received from National Research Ethics Service-Committee Bromley (reference 11/LO/0583). In addition to dissemination of results through presentation and publication of peer-reviewed articles, results will be shared with key clinician and patient groups required to develop the future large-scale randomised controlled trial.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN90201732; 16 December 2015.

Matched MeSH terms: Laryngeal Nerves*
External laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery: recognition and surgical implications

Aina EN, Hisham AN

ANZ J Surg, 2001 Apr;71(4):212-4.
PMID: 11355727

Injury to the external laryngeal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery is not uncommon. Most surgeons tend to avoid rather than expose and identify the external laryngeal nerve (ELN). The aim of the present study was to analyse the frequency and types of ELN crossing the avascular space in relationship to the structures to the upper pole of the thyroid and related thyroid pathology.

Matched MeSH terms: Laryngeal Nerves/abnormalities; Laryngeal Nerves/anatomy & histology*
Selective Laryngeal Examination: Sensitivity of Endocrine Surgeons in Screening Voice Abnormality

Al-Yahya SN, Muhammad R, Suhaimi SNA, Azman M, Mohamed AS, Baki MM

J Voice, 2020 Sep;34(5):811.e13-811.e20.
PMID: 30612893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2018.12.003

OBJECTIVES: Selective laryngeal examination for patients undergoing thyroidectomy is recommended for patients with voice alterations, history of prior cervical or chest surgery, and patients with proven or suspected thyroid malignancy. The study objective is to measure the sensitivity of surgeons in detecting voice abnormalities in patients undergoing thyroidectomy, parathyroidectomy complicated with laryngeal nerve paralysis, or patients with known vocal cords palsy (VCP) due to other neck surgeries.
DESIGN AND SETTING: Descriptive cross-sectional study in a tertiary center.
PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The subjects are 274 audio files of voices of patients undergoing thyroid, parathyroid surgeries, and known VCP due to other neck surgeries. Voice assessments were done by three endocrine surgeons (A, B, and C) with 20, 12, and 4 years of surgical experience.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity and specificity of surgeon documented voice assessment in patients with underlying VCP. Subjects' acoustic analysis and Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10) were analyzed.
RESULTS: Raters A, B, and C have sensitivity of 63.6%, 78.8%, and 66.7%, respectively. Inter-rater reliability shows substantial agreement (ƙ = 0.67). VHI-10 has sensitivity of 75.8% and strong correlation of 0.707 (p value <0.001) to VCP. Subjects with VCP have notably higher jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonic ratio compared to normal subjects with sensitivity of 74.2%, 71.2%, and 72.7%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: The results for surgeons documented voice assessment did not reach the desired sensitivity for a screening tool for patients with underlying VCP. Other tools such as VHI-10 and acoustic analysis may not be used as standalone tools in screening patients with underlying VCP. Routine preoperative laryngeal examination may be recommended for all patients undergoing thyroid, parathyroid, or other surgeries that places the laryngeal nerves at risk.

Matched MeSH terms: Laryngeal Nerves
Immediate selective laryngeal reinnervation in vagal paraganglioma patients

Mat Baki M, Clarke P, Birchall MA

J Laryngol Otol, 2018 Sep;132(9):846-851.
PMID: 30180919 DOI: 10.1017/S0022215118000476

OBJECTIVE: This prospective case series aimed to present the outcomes of immediate selective laryngeal reinnervation.
METHODS: Two middle-aged women with vagal paraganglioma undergoing an excision operation underwent immediate selective laryngeal reinnervation using the phrenic nerve and ansa cervicalis as the donor nerve. Multidimensional outcome measures were employed pre-operatively, and at 1, 6 and 12 months post-operatively.
RESULTS: The voice handicap index-10 score improved from 23 (patient 1) and 18 (patient 2) at 1 month post-operation, to 5 (patient 1) and 1 (patient 2) at 12 months. The Eating Assessment Tool 10 score improved from 20 (patient 1) and 24 (patient 2) at 1 month post-operation, to 3 (patient 1) and 1 (patient 2) at 12 months. There was slight vocal fold abduction observed in patient one and no obvious abduction in patient two.
CONCLUSION: Selective reinnervation is safe to perform following vagal paraganglioma excision conducted on the same side. Voice and swallowing improvements were demonstrated, but no significant vocal fold abduction was achieved.

Matched MeSH terms: Laryngeal Nerves/pathology; Laryngeal Nerves/surgery*