“Hemithyroidectomy procedure?”
When is it warranted to intentionally divide the RLN during a hemithyroidectomy, which would cause vocal cord palsy?
Female | 56 years old
Complaint duration: 3 wks
Conditions: L vocal cord paralysis
3 Answers
This is a possible complication of the procedure.
Hello, there are a few (very few) reasons I can think of but your best answer will come from an ENT surgeon or a lawyer.
There would be few if any, indications to intentionally divide the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The nerve is typically monitored throughout surgery and protected to prevent injury. The nerve being invaded by a tumor would be one of the few reasons that it would need to be sacrificed.
Many times, the nerve may be stunned after surgery and take time to recover. This can occur without dividing the nerve.
Many times, the nerve may be stunned after surgery and take time to recover. This can occur without dividing the nerve.
