Objective:To explore the clinical effect of exposure of recurrent laryngeal nerve(RLN) during operation in patients with benign thyroid neoplasm.
Methods :Seven hundred and sixty-eight patients with benign thyroid neoplasm admitted between July 2005 and June 2008 were randomly divided into three groups according to the operation procedure:(1) For patients with lobectomy or subtotal lobectomy, the dorsum of gland could not be retained or with reoperation,RLN was selectively exposured; (2) 278 cases with non-exposure of RLN; (3) 384 patients had routine exposure of RLN.
Results:Of all the cases，the injury rate of RLN was 1.04% (8/768)，no permanent injury or bilateral RLN injury ouarred.The injury rate of RLN in non-exposure groups was 0.72% (2/278), in selective explore groups and routine groups was 0.94%(1/106) and 1.30%(5/384),respectively,but the difference was not significant between the three groups(P>0.05). Operative procedure time was significantly shorter in non-exposure groups than that in selective group and routine group［(78.96±17.60)min vs. (89.05±18.50)min and (93.44±18.90)min,P＜0.05］.The bood loss during operation was significantly less in non-exposure group than that in selective group and routine group［(42.73±23.08)mL vs. (56.47±24.43)mL and (62.03±27.46)mL,P＜0.05］.
Conclusions:Exposure and non-exposure of the RLN should be determined by the patient′s condition of benign thyroid neoplasm during operation.