Özet:

Although, thyroidectomy is one of the frequently performed surgeries and has a low mortality rate, it may also lead to serious morbidity due to complications such as bleeding and damage to the recurrent nerve and parathyroid glands. Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injuries are of the most feared complications. According to the literature, the rates of permanent and temporary RLN paralysis are reported as 0.1-1.8 % and 1-5 %, respectively. Laryngeal paralysis causes three major problems: hoarseness, airway obstruction, and aspiration. The treatment for one or more of the symptoms should be indicated according to the duration of patient’s paralysis, the patient’s age, the severity of symptoms, and the recovery and/or the compensation condition. As a result, the method of treatment varies according to the bilateral or unilateral injuries of the RLN. In cases of nerve damage, with methods applied for short-term, the problems that may occur in the patients during the waiting period of 6-12 months are minimised and followed up. Tracing the path of the laryngeal nerve during thyroidectomy especially decreases the rate of permanent nerve paralysis. In cases where the laryngeal nerve can not be traced, laryngeal nerve monitoring is rather useful.

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