Citation Information :
Mahalakshmi VD, Bhargav P, Chekavar A, Bothra S. Post-thyroidectomy Transcutaneous Laryngeal Ultrasound Analysis of Vocal Cords by Endocrine Surgeons. 2021; 16 (1):23-24.
Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is one of the feared complications of thyroid surgery due to concerns in voice change with varying degrees of hoarseness and sometimes associated breathing difficulty depending on the extent of damage. Various precautions along with intraoperative adjuncts are being used in order to identify and preserve the function of RLNs during thyroid surgery. Pre-, intra- and postoperative monitoring of RLN is necessary for a safe thyroid surgery. Transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasound (TLUSG) is an excellent noninvasive tool for assessing the vocal cord function after thyroidectomy. Ultrasound examination of vocal cords can be used for comprehensive monitoring of RLN and enhancing postoperative care in thyroid surgery by endocrine surgeons. We discuss in this article how we perform ultrasound for postoperative evaluation of vocal cords.
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