Identifying the Non‑recurrent Laryngeal Nerve: Preventing a Major Risk of Morbidity During Thyroidectomy

Abstract

Non‑recurrent laryngeal nerve (NRLN) is a rare anomaly which is reported in 0.3%‑0.8% of people on the right side and in 0.004% (extremely rare) on the left side. Damage to this nerve during the surgical procedure may lead to severe iatrogenic morbidity and should therefore be prevented from being damaged. The best way to avoid this damage to the nerve is to identify the nerve with a systematic diligent dissection based on usual anatomical landmarks and awareness about the possibility of their existence. Hereby, we are going to present a 26‑year‑old woman, a case of NRLN on the right side which was identified during thyroidectomy. The nervous anomaly was accompanied with vascular abnormality which was confirmed by computerized tomography (CT) angiography, post‑operatively.

Keywords: Inferior laryngeal nerve, non‑recurrent, thyroidectomy