Intrathyroidal carotid artery and nonrecurring right recurrent laryngeal nerve: A case report.
Publication/Presentation Date
12-1-2017
Abstract
BACKGROUND: When performing thyroidectomy, knowledge of normal anatomy and variants is vital to avoid injuring nearby structures. Typically, the bilateral carotids course posterolateral to the thyroid gland. We describe a rare variant of an intrathyroidal carotid artery, not previously described in the literature.
METHODS: A 23-year-old woman with a strong family history of thyroid cancer presented with a left thyroid nodule, and a fine-needle aspiration biopsy revealing papillary thyroid carcinoma. She underwent total thyroidectomy.
RESULTS: Intraoperatively, the carotid was found coursing centrally through the right lobe parenchyma, associated with an ipsilateral nonrecurrent recurrent laryngeal nerve (NRLN) entering the cricothyroid joint superolaterally.
CONCLUSION: This is, to our knowledge, the first report of such an anatomic variant in the medical literature. Aberrant carotid artery anatomy may potentially cause life-threatening surgical complications and should be considered preoperatively. Furthermore, recognition of concurrent recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) anomalies with vascular variations allows identification of nonrecurrent nerves.
Volume
39
Issue
12
First Page
123
Last Page
123
ISSN
1097-0347
Published In/Presented At
Baker, A., Cottrill, E. E., Munizza, O., McGillen, K., McKinnon, T., & Goldenberg, D. (2017). Intrathyroidal carotid artery and nonrecurring right recurrent laryngeal nerve: A case report. Head & neck, 39(12), E123–E126. https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.24970
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
29024099
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article