Safety and current achievements in thyroid surgery with neuromonitoring.

Abstract

One of the most important complications during thyroid surgery is injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) which leads to dysfunction and palsy of the vocal folds. Adequate knowledge about the location of the RLN supported by neuromonitoring can help the operating surgeon to prevent this complication. Visualisation of the nerve alone seems to not be enough. Much more important is an estimation of the function of the RLN. One can say that nowadays we are in the passing era (transition period) of only visualisation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during operation and entering the era of its neuromonitoring. Neuromonitoring gives us information about the location and function of the RLN. Using this equipment, thyroid surgery becomes safer not only for the patients but also for the operating surgeon in the way of the medicolegal consequences of surgical complications.