Partial thyroidectomy: Preserving the function of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid gland

Abstract

The prevalence of thyroid cancer is on the rise in Japan. Thyroid surgery is often selected as an introduction to head and neck surgery. However, when complications such as recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and hypoparathyroidism occur, the patient’s QOL is significantly reduced. It is necessary to preserve not only the morphology of the recurrent laryngeal nerve but also its function. The reliability of intraoperative nerve monitoring has been greatly improved by establishing guidelines. In particular, intraoperative continuous nerve monitoring by vagus nerve stimulation is expected to reduce the occurrence of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Preservation of the parathyroid gland is also important. In recent years, the usefulness of a method for detecting the parathyroid gland using an infrared observation camera system utilizing the autofluorescence characteristics of the parathyroid gland has been reported.