RESUMO
Objective To study the reasons and prevention of the hoarse voice after continuity-intact recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN)operation without damage of RLN under naked eyes.Methods Data of 1871 patients undergoing thyroid surgery from Jan.2001 to Jan.2011 were retrospectly analyzed.919 patients had their RLN exposed,among whom 757 patients had bilateral RLN exposed.952 patients didn't have their RLN exposed in the surgery.Results A total of 1676 RLNs were exposed by the routine method and minimally invasive method.All the nerves were confirmed no damage and continuity intact under naked eyes.Hoarse voice occurred to 19patients after surgery,with the percentage of 2.12％ (19/897).The rate of hoarse voice in the non-exposed group was 5.46％ (52/952).The difference of horse voice between the RLN exposed group and non-exposed group had statistical significance(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions RLN without damage under naked eyes and continuity intact doesn't mean no damage of electroneurophysiology.The rate of RLN damage in the exposed group was less than that in the non-exposed group.The major causes of hoarse voice may include misoperation,heat conduction and postoperative scar adhesion.The key to avoid RLN damage is prevention.
RESUMO
We present here two cases of relapsing infection of the lower airway caused by the recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis. Seihai-to offered useful palliation and symptom control in the two cases described below. Case 1 was a 50 year-old-man who received surgery and radiotherapy for a cervical tumor in 1970. Thereafter he suffered from cough reflex at meals and a hoarse voice. He has suffered from airway infection four or five times a year since 1992. In May 1995 he was hospitalized for pneumonia. Two more attacks of pneumonia followed in the next two months. Administration of Seihai-to provided a palliation period of 15 months at first and decreased frequency of recurrence to as few as three times during the follow-up period of 43 months; one was pneumonia and two were bronchitis. Case 2 was a 76-year-old man who received surgery and radiotherapy for lung cancer in the left upper lobe in 1984. Thereafter he suffered from cough, sputum, cough reflex at meals, and hoarse voice. Lower airway infection was exacerbated five or six times a year since 1984. He was hospitalized for pneumonia in May 1997 and March 1998, and came to our hospital asking for Kampo therapy in April 1998. Administration of Seihai-to improved his symptoms and achieved a palliation period of 8.5 months. The original text “Man-byo-kai-shun” mentioned that loss of voice is one of the indications of Seihai-to. We took notice of hoarse voice in the two cases at selection of formulae.