Management of the recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery

The importance of preservation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery has been well known since the early 19th century. All modern endocrine surgeons need to have a thorough knowledge of both anatomy and strategies for management of the recurrent laryngeal nerve which, importantly, includes neural monitoring. Important considerations for surgical approaches to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, nerve-monitoring techniques, and management of infiltrated or traumatized nerves are described.