A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF THE INCIDENCE OF INJURY TO THE CRANIAL NERVES DURING CAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 151  (6) , 781-784
Abstract
To determine the incidence of cranial nerve injury during carotid endarterectomy [for the relief of cerebrovascular atherosclerosis] preoperative and postoperative otolaryngologic examinations were performed in a prospective series of 240 operations. Patients (30) experienced 38 cranial nerve injuries, involving the recurrent laryngeal nerve in 14, the hypoglossal nerve in 13, the marginal mandibular nerve in 6 and the superior laryngeal nerve in 5. Postoperative dysfunction affected 1 cranial nerve in 25 patients, 2 nerves in 4 and 3 nerves in 1 patient. Most cranial nerve injuries were asymptomatic or mild in severity, resolved in 1-12 mo. and probably were caused by intraoperative retraction.