The anatomical relationship between recurrent laryngeal nerve and high inferior thyroid artery: a case report

Abstract

In this case report, we present a case with an unusually high course of inferior thyroid artery and its relationship with the recurrent laryngeal nerve on the right side of the neck of a 91 years-old formalin fixed male cadaver. Dissection showed that the inferior thyroid artery gave off branches between the branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerve following a sharp curvature descending downward to the thyroid gland. Knowledge of such a variation of the location and course of the inferior thyroid artery and the recurrent laryngeal nerve is important for surgical and radiological procedures.

Keywords

• inferior thyroid artery
• recurrent laryngeal nerve
• thyrocervical trunk
• thyroid gland
• variation

References

1. Esen K, Ozgur A, Balci Y, Tok S, Kara E. Variations in the origins of the thyroid arteries on CT angiography. Jpn J Radiol 2018;36:96– 102.
2. Sarkar S, Kundu B, Dey S, Saha PK, Meur R, Sadhu A. Variations in the arterial supply of the thyroid gland in an Indian male cadaver. Indian Journal of Basic and Applied Medical Research 2014;3:256–9.
3. Toni R, Della Casa C, Castorina S, Roti E, Ceda G, Valenti G. A meta-analysis of inferior thyroid artery variations in different human ethnic groups and their clinical implications. Ann Anat 2005;187:371– 85.
4. Tang WJ, Sun SQ, Wang XL, Sun YX, Huang HX. An applied anatomical study on the recurrent laryngeal nerve and inferior thyroid artery. Surg Radiol Anat 2012;34:325–32.
5. Henry BM, Vikse J, Graves MJ, Sanna S, Sanna B, Tomaszewska IM, Hsieh WC, Tubbs RS, Tomaszewski KA. Variable relationship of the recurrent laryngeal nerve to the inferior thyroid artery:a meta-analysis and surgical implications. Head Neck 2017;39:177–86.
6. Makay O, Icoz G, Yilmaz M, Akyildiz M, Yetkin E. The recurrent laryngeal nerve and the inferior thyroid artery: anatomical variations during surgery. Langenbecks Arch Surg 2008;393:681–5.
7. Graves M, Henry B, Sanna B, P´kala P, Taterra D, Witczak K, Kucharska E, Barczyƒski M, Walocha J, Tomaszewski K. Anatomical variations of the inferior thyroid artery: a cadaveric examination. Przeglàd Lekarski 2017;74:633–5.
8. Aziz F, Lehman EB, Reed AB. Increased duration of operating time for carotid endarterectomy is associated with increased mortality. Ann Vasc Surg 2016;36:166–74.

9. Kuhn JE, Lebus V GF, Bible JE. Thoracic outlet syndrome. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2015;23:222–32.
10. Moreau S, Goullet de Rugy M, Babin E, Salame E, Delmas P, Valdazo A. The recurrent laryngeal nerve: related vascular anatomy. Laryngoscope 1998;108:1351–3.
11. Ghai A, Kaushik T, Wadhera R, Wadhera S. Stellate ganglion blockade-techniques and modalities. Acta Anaesthesiol Belg 2016;67:1–5.
12. Petrocheilou G, Myrianthefs P, Evodia E, Vlychou M, Kokkinis CE. Inferior thyroid artery pseudoaneurysm caused by blunt trauma. Vascular 2010;18:242–5.
13. Campos BA, Henriques PR. Relationship between the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the inferior thyroid artery: a study in corpses. Rev Hosp Clin Fac Med Sao Paulo 2000;55:195–200.
14. Iwanaga J, Singh V, Ohtsuka A, Hwang Y, Kim HJ, MoryÊ J, Ravi KS, Ribatti D, Trainor PA, Sañudo JR, Apaydin N, Şengül G, Albertine KH, Walocha JA, Loukas M, Duparc F, Paulsen F, Del Sol M, Adds P, Hegazy A, Tubbs RS. Acknowledging the use of human cadaveric tissues in research papers: recommendations from anatomical journal editors. Clin Anat 2020;34:2–4.