Innervation of the cricothyroid muscle by extralaryngeal branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerve

摘要

Objectives/HypothesisA major concern in thyroid surgery is possible changes in the patient's voice due to dysfunction of the laryngeal muscles. The classical understanding of the anatomy is that the cricothyroid muscle (CTM) is innervated solely by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN), and the endolaryngeal muscles are covered only by the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). Meticulous anatomical studies found communication between these nerves. Recent neurophysiological studies revealed cross-innervations among these nerve-muscle sets. Here, we report innervation of the CTM by extralaryngeal branches of the RLN.