Der Chirurg; Zeitschrift für alle Gebiete der operativen Medizen
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Unambiguous identification of the recurrent laryngeal nerve with detection of nerve dysfunction giving rise to postoperative vocal cord palsy (VCP) is the principal objective of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) in thyroid surgery. Because intraoperative loss of the electromyographic (EMG) signal (LOS) does not result in VCP in one third of patients, controversy surrounds the issue of whether a change in strategy is needed in planned total thyroidectomy after LOS on the first side of resection. ⋯ Because an abnormal intraoperative electromyogram carries an 80 % risk for early postoperative VCP, the initial plan of bilateral surgery needs to be critically reviewed after LOS has occurred on the first side of resection, taking into account the underlying thyroid disease of the patient and surgeon expertise. Since more than 80 % of affected nerves will fully recover after the operation, staged completion thyroidectomy is recommended.