Given the location of the thyroid gland, there is a possibility of damaging other structures when carrying out a thyroidectomy, namely the parathyroid glands and the recurrent laryngeal nerve (Fig. 8.181). Assessment of the vocal folds is necessary before and after thyroid surgery because the recurrent laryngeal nerves are closely related to ligaments that bind the gland to the larynx and can be easily traumatized during surgical procedures.
In the clinic