The Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve in Thyroid O perations and Other Complications of Thyroidectomy

In this article, 692 patients in whom thyroid op-erations were made have been reported. Of these cas-es, 621 were female and 71 mal e. Enucleation was petformed in 19 patients, subtotal excision in 532 cases (157 unilateral, 375 bilateral) and total exci-sion in 141 patients (30 unilateral, 96 total on one side+subtotal on the other side, 15 bilateral). The postoperative mortality rate was %0.0. 508 nerve dissections were carried out in 292 of 692 pa-tients and the relations of the recurrent laryngeal nerves to the inferior thyroid arteries were found in 276 dissection. Only one transient hypoparatiroidism was found in one of 292 patients in whom nerve and artery dis-section were peıformed. Bilateral ligation of the trunk of the inferior thy-roid artery must not be carried out ıf it is not neces-sary, the branches of this vessel should be ligated be-yond the parathyroid glands. If the trunk of the artery is ligated on one side for hemorrhage atention is paid not to ligate it on the other side.