A new variation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve        SHAO Tang-lei*,HUANG He, WANG Hai,et al. Department of Surgery,Ruijin Hospital,Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine,Shanghai 200025,China
Corresponding author:YANG Wei-ping, E-mail:yangweipingmd@126.com
Abstract    Objective    To discuss a new variation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve.Methods    A prospective study involving 2,094 consecutive thyroidectomies was performed during January 2007 and December 2012.,and 1,652 women and 442 men, there were 2710 of RLNs dissected,and 1312 of left RLNs and 1398 of right RLNs. Results    There were 5 new varied RLNs found and all were located in the right.the occurrence of the new varied RLNs were 0.18% in all RLNs and were 0.36% in right RLNs.The most important of the varied RLNs was the branch which directed to the skull. Conclusion    There may be some new function which we have not been known in the RLNs.The RLNs should be more carefully protected in thyroid operation for fear of injuring the RLN and its function.