ASYMPTOMATIC LARYNGEAL RECURRENT NERVE IN JURY IN THYROID BENIGN DISEASES

Diagnosis of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy is usually possible throu gh a clinical, laryngoscopical and electromyographical approach, but a t a critical stage of the nerve injury. We observed four cases of beni gn thyroid tumoral processes with a preoperative electromyographic exa mination showing neurogenic abnormalities in the thyroarytenoid muscle without any clinical symptoms. We presume that only laryngeal electro myography permits the diagnosis of mild, even asymptomatic laryngeal r ecurrent nerve injury. A recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurs in thy roid tumors, most often in malignant conditions, rarely in benign ones . Nevertheless early forms of nerve injury with benign thyroid patholo gy could be underrated. Since the functionnal prognosis of symptomatic laryngeal nerve palsy is doubtful, laryngeal electromyography, throug h its ability to diagnose early nerve injury, provides helpful indicat ions in thyroid benign tumoral diseases for the therapeutic decision.