What nerves can be damaged in thyroidectomy?
The main structures that are jeopardized during thyroid surgery are those arising from the vagus nerve at various heights: the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EB-SLN) and the inferior laryngeal nerve.
Which nerve is prone to injury during thyroidectomy?
Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (RLNI) is one of the common complications of thyroidectomy, which can lead to postoperative vocal cord palsy (VCP).
Can a thyroidectomy cause nerve damage?
Although there is much more risk of damaging the nerve during thyroidectomy, it should be mentioned that the nerve can be injured during intubation as well. Still, it does not seem possible to differentiate between the damage done by thyroid surgery and anesthesia in most cases.
What are the common complications after thyroid surgery?
Hypocalcemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury are the two most common post-thyroidectomy complications.
What should I watch after thyroidectomy?
Risks
- Bleeding.
- Infection.
- Low parathyroid hormone levels (hypoparathyroidism) caused by surgical damage or removal of the parathyroid glands. These glands are located behind your thyroid and regulate blood calcium.
- Airway obstruction caused by bleeding.
- Permanent hoarse or weak voice due to nerve damage.
What happens when after thyroidectomy there is damage to the external laryngeal nerve?
Vocal cord paresis or paralysis due to iatrogenic injury of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLNI) is one of the main problems in thyroid surgery. Although many procedures have been introduced to prevent the nerve injury, still the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy varies between 1.5-14%.
Does having your thyroid removed make you immunocompromised?
Many people are asking whether having autoimmune thyroid disease means you are immunocompromised. We can confirm it does not.
What vitamins should I take if I have no thyroid?
You may need to take medicine (thyroid hormone) and vitamin and mineral supplements (vitamin D and calcium) for the rest of your life, to replace what is lost without these organs.
What are the symptoms of recurrent laryngeal nerve damage?
Damage to the laryngeal nerve can result in loss of voice or obstruction to breathing. Laryngeal nerve damage can be caused by injury, tumors, surgery, or infection. Damage to the nerves of the larynx can cause hoarseness, difficulty in swallowing or breathing, or the loss of voice.
Is magnesium good for thyroid?
Magnesium supplementation showed a beneficial effect on thyroid economy leading to a normalization of TSH levels.
How do you treat a recurrent laryngeal nerve injury?
The late treatment methods of RLN injury include thyroplasty, injection into and near vocal cords and arytenoid adduction, in order to move the vocal cords inward and to improve the voice; and laser arytenoidectomy, cordectomy, vocal cord abduction and fixation in order to expand glottis and improve the dyspnea.
How long does it take for laryngeal nerve to heal?
On comparing with the existing literature, the majority of the nerves recover function within the first 6 months after surgery.15, 16 However in our cohort, patients undergoing redo surgery had a longer recovery interval with some recovering function as late as 26 months.
What happens to the superior laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery?
The external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EB) is at risk during thyroid surgery because of its close anatomical relationship with the superior thyroid vessels and the superior thyroid pole region. The rate of EB injury (which leads to the paralysis of the cricothyroid muscle) varies from 0 to 58%.
Can the incidence of neurological complications after thyroid surgery be suppressed?
In conclusion, despite a thorough surgical technique and the use of intraoperative neuromonitoring, the incidence of neurological complications after thyroid surgery cannot be suppressed, but should be maintained in a low range.
What are the Common side effects of thyroidectomy?
Common side effects beginning after surgery include 2 : Nausea and vomiting after thyroidectomy was the norm at one time, and people may be concerned if they talk with others who had this procedure in the past.
What are the symptoms of dysphagia after thyroid surgery?
Swallowing problems ( dysphagia) are a common symptom after thyroid surgery, though they’re usually transient. Eating soft foods for the first few days can be helpful.