To investigate time of delayed reinnervated laryngeal muscle, 15 dogs were divided into two groups. The right recurrent laryngeal nerves of 10 dogs in experimental group were cut, and repaired at 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 months intervals by transposition of the phrenic nerve to the recurrent laryngeal nerve after cutting and suturing the adductor branch to the main branch of ansa cervicalis. The right recurrent laryngeal nerves of 5 dogs in control group were cut, but did not repair. Laryngoscope, electromyography, contractile tension of laryngeal muscle and histologic studies were performed at six months postoperatively. The results showed that fair recovery of adduction and abduction was noted within ten months interval, and the effect of adduction was better than that of abduction. The effect decreased gradually with the denervated time increased. The conclusion demonstrated that delayed reinnervation of laryngeal muscle should be performed within ten months.
目的 探讨甲状腺手术方式和喉返神经损伤（RLN）的关系。 方法 回顾性分析2009年1月至2012年6月期间于笔者所在医院科室接受开放性甲状腺手术的985例患者的临床资料，探讨甲状腺手术方式和RLN损伤的关系。 结果 本组患者术后发生RLN损伤26例（2.6%），未发生RLN损伤959例（97.4%）。logistic回归分析结果显示，年龄、性别、超声刀应用、麻醉方式及肿块良恶性与RLN损伤均无关（P＞0.05），而手术范围（OR=3.726，P=0.007）和显露RLN（OR=0.302，P=0.006）则是RLN损伤的影响因素，行扩大性手术及未显露RLN者的RLN损伤率较高。 结论 在开放性甲状腺手术中，手术范围以及显露RLN是RLN损伤的独立影响因素，术中显露并注意保护RLN，对避免RLN损伤具有重要意义。
ObjectiveTo explore the influencing factors affecting lymph nodes posterior to the right recurrent laryngeal nerve (LN-prRLN) metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and construct a clinical nomogram prediction model to provide a reference for LN-prRLN dissection decision-making. MethodsThe clinical data of PTC patients admitted to the General Surgery Department of Baoding No.1 Central Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 325 patients underwent LN-prRLN dissection, and they were divided into non-metastatic group (269 cases) and metastasis group (56 cases) according to the presence or absence of LN-prRLN metastasis. By comparing the differences of clinical and pathological characteristics between the two groups, the risk factors of LN-prRLN metastasis were analyzed and discussed, and then the nomogram prediction model of LN-prRLN metastasis was constructed with the risk factors, and the effectiveness of the model was verified and evaluated. ResultsIn 325 patients, 56 cases (17.23%) occurred LN-prRLN metastasis. The results of univariate analysis showed that gender, extrathyroidal extension, lymph nodes anterior to right recurrent laryngeal nerve (LN-arRLN) metastasis, location of cancer focus, and lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) were related to LN-prRLN metastasis of PTC (P<0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that male [OR=3.878, 95%CI (1.192, 12.615)], with extrathyroidal extension [OR=2.836, 95%CI (1.036, 7.759)], with LN-arRLN metastasis [OR=10.406, 95%CI (3.225, 33.926)], right cancer focus [OR= 5.632, 95%CI (1.812, 17.504)] and with LLNM [OR=3.426, 95%CI (1.147, 10.231)] were the risk factors of LN-prRLN metastasis. Receiver operating characteristic curves of nomogram prediction model based on the above risk factors showed that the area under the curve was 0.865, 95%CI was (0.795, 0.934), Jordan index was 0.729, sensitivity was 0.873, and specificity was 0.856, which had higher prediction value. The C-index of Bootstrap test was 0.840 [95%CI (0.755, 0.954) ]. Calibration curves showed that predictive value close to the ideal curve, had good consistency. The clinical decision curve analysis showed that the model had good clinical prediction effect on LN-prRLN metastasis of PTC. ConclusionsMale, extrathyroidal extension, LN-arRLN metastasis, right cancer focus and LLNM are independent risk factors for LN-prRLN metastasis of PTC. The nomogram prediction model based on the above independent risk factors has high discrimination and calibration, which is helpful for surgeons to make clinical decisions.
Objective To explore the clinical significance on protection of parathyroid and recurrent laryngeal nerve （RLN） by meticulous capsular dissection and exposure of RLN in thyroid lobectomy. Methods Clinical data of 452 patients who underwent thyroid lobectomy by meticulous capsular dissection and exposure of RLN in our hospital from Jan. 2010 to Dec. 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Results All of the 452 cases underwent thyroid lebectomy successfully without death， and the operative time was 45-110min （average 60 min）， the blood loss was 5-100mL （average 20mL）. The pathological results showed that there were thyroid adenoma in 193 cases， nodular goiter in 175 cases， Hashimoto thyroiditis in 38 cases， thyroid cancer in 46 cases. After operation， 4 cases suffered RLN injury， 1 of the 4 cases recovered after removal of drainage tube， and other 3 cases recovered during 0.5 to 3.0 months. In addition， 2 cases suffered laryngeal nerve injury whose symptoms disappearred within 1 week， 5 cases suffered parathyroid founctional damage without permanent hypocalcemia whose symptom had kept 1-5 days after treatment. Three cases were reoperated because of bleeding， including branch of anterior venous bleeding in 1 case， thyroid side arterial tube bleeding in 1 case， and thyroid stump bleeding in 1 case. Twenty one cases suffered hypothyroidism in 1 month after operation， and no recurrence happened during the followed up period. Conclusions Meticulous capsular dissection can effectively protect function of parathyroid and reduce the injury probability of RLN. Exposure of RLN is safe and feasible， which plays an important role in avoiding serious RLN injury.
Objective To explore anatomical features and variation of non-recurrent laryngeal nerve and to summarize identification method, operation skill, and damage treatment experience of it. Method The clinical data of 15 patients with non-recurrent laryngeal nerve in 4 054 patients who underwent thyroidectomy from our division by the same medical group from January 2006 to January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Results A total of 6 626 recurrent laryngeal nerve (left side 3 248, right side 3 378) were exposed in 4 054 cases. Fifteen patients with non-recurrent laryngeal nerve were detected with an incidence of 0.23% (15/6 626), all located on the right side. There were 3 males and 12 females. There were 3 cases of type Ⅰ, 10 cases of type Ⅱa, 2 cases of type Ⅱb. And 2 patients with non-recurrent laryngeal nerve were injured. Conclusions Incidence of non-recurrent laryngeal nerve is lower, most of which occur on right side of neck, there is a high injury rate for its special anatomical location. It’s key to prevent nerve injury for careful interpreting preoperative auxiliary examination results and improving awareness of non-recurrent laryngeal nerve, fining dissection, conventional exposuring recurrent laryngeal nerve, and accurate using nerve monitor during operation.
ObjectiveTo master the morphological characteristics of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and extra-laryngeal branching (ELB) in dogs, and to provide an anatomical basis for the establishment of an animal model of injury to the ELB in dogs as well as for functional studies. MethodsSix adult healthy Beagles were selected, completely dissected the thyroid gland, the full length of the cervical segment of the RLN and the ELB. Then, the location, size and morphology of the thyroid gland and the morphological features of the RLN and ELB were observed. The length of the RLN and its ELB were measured. The incidence and number of ELB and their relationship with trachea, esophagus and peripheral blood vessels were recorded. ResultsSix Beagles (12 sides) all had ELB. In 9 sides the main trunk of the RLN divided into internal and external branches on its way up into the larynx and converged before them entering the larynx. The total number of ELB was 48, and the number of branches on each side were ranging from 1 to 7. There were 38 ELB were located below the lowest level of the thyroid gland. ConclusionsThe Beagles included in this study all have ELB. The ELB were widely distributed in the cervical trachea and esophagus after branching from the internal branch of RLN. It is speculated that the ELB may be involved in the function of the cervical esophagus and trachea. In thyroid surgery, the tracheal branch and esophageal branch of the ELB should be preserved as much as possible.
Objective To investigate the causes and treatment of recurrent laryngeal nerve （RLN） injury during the operation of thyroidectomy. Methods Clinical data of 48 patients that RLN were injured during thyroidectomy in and out of our hospital from Jun. 2003 to Mar. 2007 were reviewed. Results No patient died while operation and staying in hospital. There were 47 cases of unilateral RLN injury, 1 case of bilateral RLN injury; 21 cases （43.7%） were injured because of suture or scar adhesion, 13 cases （27.1%） were partly broken with formed scar, 14 cases （29.2%） were completely cut off; The locations of RLN injuries were closely adjacent to the crossing of the inferior thyroid artery and RLN in 13 cases （27.1%） and 35 cases （72.9%） were within 2 cm below the point of RLN entering into throat. The injured RLN were repaired surgically in 43 cases, among which 39 cases’ phonation and vocal cord movement were restored completely or had their vocal cord movement recovered partly; There were only 4 cases that the phonation and vocal cord movement were not recovered. Another 5 cases that did not take any repair did not recovered naturally. Conclusion The location of most RLN injuries caused by mechanical injury during thyroid surgery is closely adjacent to the entrance of RLN into throat. Early nerve exploratory operation should be performed once the RLN is injured, and the method of repair should be decided according to concrete conditions of injury．
ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and necessity of recurrent laryngeal lymph node resection by comparing the complications and prognosis of patients with recurrent laryngeal nerve injury receiving different recurrent laryngeal lymph node resections.MethodsWe reviewed the clinical data of 153 patients with stage T1N0M0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent radical esophageal cancer surgery at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from June 2014 to May 2016. Among them, 125 were male and 28 were female, at an average age of 62 years. All patients underwent bilateral recurrent laryngeal nodes sampling. They were divided into 3 groups according to the dissection situation: patients with only one recurrent laryngeal lymph node resection on both sides during the operation were treated as a sampling group (n=49); patients with only one recurrent laryngeal lymph node resection on one side and more than one recurrent laryngeal lymph nodes resection on the other side were treated as a unilateral dissection group (n=49); patients with more than one recurrent laryngeal lymph nodes resection on both sides were treated as a bilateral dissection group (n=55). Follow-up was performed to compare the prognostic differences among the three groups. Seven days after the operation, the vocal cords of the patients were examined with an electronic laryngoscope and classified using the Clavien-Dindo system. The differences in complications related to recurrent laryngeal nerve injury among the three groups were compared.ResultsThe 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of the patients in the sampling group, unilateral dissection group and bilateral dissection group was 66.8%, 88.5%, 93.8%, respectively. There was statistical difference between the sampling group and the unilateral dissection group or the bilateral dissection group (P<0.05), and no statistical difference between the unilateral dissection group and the bilateral dissection group (P>0.05). The incidence of complications among the three groups was not statistically different (P>0.05).ConclusionFor patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma of stage T1N0M0, the lymph nodes of the bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerves should be removed during the operation as many as possible, which will help improve the 5-year survival rate of the patients.
ObjectiveTo investigate the predictive value of recurrent laryngeal nerve lymph nodes (RLN) status for supraclavicular lymph node (SLN) metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 83 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent McKeown three-field lymphadenectomy from January 2017 to April 2018 in our hospital, including 53 males and 30 females with an average age of 64.07±7.05 years.ResultsThe SLN metastasis rate of the patients was 24.1%. The rate in the thoracic and abdominal metastases positive (N1-3) group and negative (N0) group was 37.8% and 13.0%, respectively, with a statistical difference (P<0.05). The rate of SLN metastasis was significantly different between the RLN metastasis positive (RLN+) and negative (RLN–) groups (39.1% vs. 18.3%, P<0.05). One side of RLN metastasis could lead to SLN metastasis on the opposite side. No correlation between the SLN metastasis and age, gender, location, differentiation degree, maximum tumor diameter, T-staging or histologic type was observed (P>0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis in chest or abdomen was an independent predictor of SLN metastasis.ConclusionRLN+ is not the independent predictor for SLN metastasis. SLN should be dissected in N1-3 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma without considering tumor location and T-staging. Bilateral SLN dissection should be recommended even if RLN metastasis is only unilateral.