DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2013.v01i05.0055

Pages: 575-580

Background: Understanding the surgical anatomy of the relationship between recurrent laryngeal nerves (RLNs) and the inferior thyroid arteries (ITAs), and its possible variations is paramount to safe and effective thyroid surgery. Objective: To investigate the relationship of the recurrent laryngeal nerve with the inferior thyroid artery in Sudanese subjects. Subjects and Methods: A Multicentric Hospital based descriptive prospective study included all consecutive patients who fulfilled the criteria of the research and treated by thyroidectomy after acceptance of the informed consent during study period between December 2009 and May 2012. Using a pretested questionnaire each anatomical detail of the patients was documented by intraoperative photos. The collected data was managed statistically using SPSS version 21. Results: The study included 82 patients (69 females and 13 males). The data analysis was based on 164 nerve dissections. The rate of identification of the RLN was 100%. Nine variations of the RLN were clarified. In the most observed variation the nerve was anterior to ITA in 63.4% on the right versus posterior to ITA in 50% on the left. When considering both sides, there was statistically significant difference in the relationship of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the inferior thyroid artery between both sides (P = 0.04). In 26.9% cases the relationship between RLNs and ITAs were similarly occurred in opposite sides. Conclusion: Racial variations could contribute to the explanation of the differences observed in the current study and in literature in the relationship between the RLN and the ITA.