Influence of thyroid gland tumour on position of adjacent anatomical structures

Abstract

As permanent reference points for intraoperative visualization of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, it is recommended to use tracheoesophageal furrows and the lower edge of the cricoid cartilage, taking into account the fact that after excision of the lateral lobe of the thyroid gland into the wound, the distal segment of the nerve is displaced laterally and anteriorly, lying on the lateral surface of the trachea. The location of the lymphatic duct is very variable. The parathyroid glands located on the same horizontal level, have the same shape and are located at the same distance from the median line of the thyroid gland. However, these anatomical structures may change or poorly differentiate with the growth of the thyroid tumor, which contributes to an increase in the number of postoperative complications.