After thyroidectomy, a female patient developed stridor within 2 hours. Which of the following is the most likely cause of stridor in this patient?
Correct Answer: Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy
Description: Injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve is the one of the common complication of tracheostomy. This nerve innervates muscles involved in moving the vocal folds. As a result, paralysis of the vocal folds results when there is injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The voice is weak because the paralyzed vocal fold on the side of the lesion cannot meet the contralateral vocal fold. Other complications of thyroidectomy include, Injury to the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve Temporary hypocalcemia Permanent hypocalcemia Injury to surrounding structures such as the esophagus, major vessels (carotid aery, internal jugular vein) Injury to the cervical sympathetic trunk Ref: Lal G. (2010). Chapter 38. Thyroid, Parathyroid, and Adrenal. In T.R. Billiar, D.L. Dunn (Eds), Schwaz's Principles of Surgery, 9e.
Category:
Surgery
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