VOICE CHANGES AFTER THYROIDECTOMY WITH INDIVIDUAL LIGATION OF SUPERIOR THYROID VESSELS WITH AND WITHOUT USE OF NERVE STIMULATOR

Abstract

Th: mast frettnerrt comphcations of thyroid wgery are lesiom of ( gld am:! recurrent laryngeal nerve. However, the external Ji: af the S'111p'erior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) is all'SO at risk dming tmSon the stlJ)erior thyroid pole. This nerve is the only mutur S1l1if3l.l'l.Y ttl tire cricuthytoid muscle which a1:t'S to irer with the td muscle in urder to increase the tension of toe iJJsilateral votal fold. CQ"1!Wiete lesimrs of (EBSLN) impair tire production of high trnes and alter the speaking fundamental :freqttency especially in women anti P'fOfessional singers. Although some authors have pointed out the risk of iatrogenic

(EB'SLN) inj1ilry', few have quantified tire risk crr !rave advocated the iii!t! aope1 ative identification of the nerve e..g. KflltZ; 111171 Freedman, •et ttL, Furthermore, no prospective ranrlorrrized sntdy has been pttbiished, a:oolyzi.ng on a smmd scientific basis, tire actual :frequency •lilf tbJis le'Siioo and tire feasibility of dissecting tire nerve to ensure its

d;,1ringthyroid surgery.

We perform<ed a prospective randomized study to determine the validity of the intraupenrtive identification of the (EBSLN) fur preveuting i:rtmgen:ic lesions during thyroidectomies. . One l:rtl:nuretl patients were conducted far this study, they were divided into two etJual groups aud one group was sul:tiected to a teehnique of identifying the (EBSLN) cilll'ing dissection of the s:mpmrn thyroitl pole assisted by the use of a nerve stimulator, whereas till': a1her grO'Ii!Jl was a'Cimitted for a rotrtine dissecti011 of the supe1ior tbyroi'CI pole.