THE EXTERNAL LARYNGEAL NERVE AND RECURRENT LARYNGEAL NERVE / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

The external laryngeal nerve is present in all 100 cases studied. It lies closely to the posterior of the superior thyroid vessels, and they are wrapped in a common neurovascular sheath. When operating the superior polar of the lateral lobe, it is necessary to seperate the vessels from the nerve, and then tie the superior thyroid vessels selectively on the upper polar of the lateral lobe in order to avoid injury of the external laryngeal nerve.Statistical studies of different types of the topographic relation between the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the inferior thyroid artery have been made. A topographic anatomy of the recurrent laryngeal nerve is discussed in detail, and suggestions on avoiding its injury during surgical operations have also been made on anatomical bases.It is observed that abnormal passage of the right recurrent laryngeal nerve caused, by the retro-esophageal right subclavian artery is 1%.