ANALYSIS OF USE OF CONTINUOUS NERVE MONITORING IN TOTAL THYROIDECTOMY PATIENTS IN PAKISTAN

Objectives of the study: This study aims at comparing the potential improvement of utilization of manual nerve monitor and continuous nerve monitoring in total thyroidectomy with regards to injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted in DHQ Hospital, Nankana Sahib during January 2019 to September 2019. A total of two hundred cases that underwent total thyroidectomy were evaluated for recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. The injury rate in these study cases were compared between cases of total thyroidectomy; done without continuous intraoperative nerve monitoring (group 1; n = 82) and those performed under visualization only (group 2; n = 118). Results: The study results are in uniformity with previous studies, which have consistently shown no clear-cut evidence that IONM reduces incidences of injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Conclusion: Therefore, the utilization of IONM in thyroid surgeries has no contribution to an experienced surgeon in regards to reduction or avoidance of injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve