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- Title
Clinical significance of vagus nerve variation in radiofrequency ablation of thyroid nodules.
- Authors
Ha EJ; Baek JH; Lee JH; Kim JK; Shong YK; Ha, Eun Ju; Baek, Jung Hwan; Lee, Jeong Hyun; Kim, Jae Kyun; Shong, Young Kee
- Abstract
<bold>Objectives: </bold>To evaluate the types and incidence of vagus nerve variations and to assess factors related to the vulnerability of vagus nerves during the radiofrequency (RF) ablation of thyroid nodules.<bold>Methods: </bold>Bilateral vagus nerves of 304 consecutive patients who underwent ultrasound of the neck were assessed. Two radiologists evaluated vagus nerve type (types 1-4; lateral/anterior/medial/posterior), the shortest distance between the thyroid gland and vagus nerve, and thyroid contour. Vagus nerve vulnerability was defined as a vagus nerve located within 2 mm of the thyroid gland through the ex vivo experiments, and factors associated with vulnerability were assessed.<bold>Results: </bold>We were unable to find one vagus nerve. Of the 607 vagus nerves, 467 (76.9%) were type 1, 128 (21.1%) were type 2, 10 (1.6%) were type 3, and 2 (0.3%) were type 4, with 81 (13.3%) being vulnerable. Univariate analysis showed that sex, location, thyroid contour and type were significantly associated with vagus nerve vulnerability. Multivariate analysis showed that bulging contour caused by thyroid nodules (P = 0.001), vagus nerve types 2/4 (P < 0.001) and type 3 (P < 0.001) were independent predictors.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>The operator should pay attention to anatomical variations and the resulting vagus nerve injury during RF ablation of bulging thyroid nodules.
- Publication
European Radiology, 2011, Vol 21, Issue 10, p2151
- ISSN
0938-7994
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1007/s00330-011-2167-6