Reconstruction of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Using an Artificial Nerve Conduit for Thyroid Cancer: A Case Report

TL;DR

A woman with thyroid cancer had her damaged recurrent laryngeal nerve reconstructed using an artificial nerve conduit, with no reported issues in her voice function.

Contribution

This case report is the first to describe the use of an artificial nerve conduit for recurrent laryngeal nerve reconstruction outside Japan.

Findings

The artificial nerve conduit was successfully used to reconstruct the recurrent laryngeal nerve after tumor invasion.

Postoperative language function remained stable with no deterioration observed.

There are currently no other reported cases of this technique outside Japan.

Abstract

The patient was a woman in her 40s who was aware of her hoarseness and was referred to our hospital. Right vocal cord paralysis was observed, and a diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer (cT4aN1bM0) was made based on imaging tests. Total thyroidectomy (TT) and right neck dissection (ND) were performed. The right recurrent nerve, which was invaded by the tumor, was also resected, and nerve reconstruction was performed using an artificial nerve conduit (ANC). ANC can be used for nerve reconstruction in the same way as conventional autologous tissue, and there have been no reports of postoperative deterioration of language function. We have not found any reports of the use of the ANC for the reconstruction of the recurrent laryngeal nerve outside Japan, and we believe that further reports, as well as long-term follow-up and accumulation of cases, are necessary in the future.

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