Table 2.
Incidence of the EBSLN anatomical variations according to Cernea classification and the anatomical variability of the RLN
| EBSLN + RLN visualization | IONM of the EBSLN + RLN | p value† | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EBSLN identification rate (%) | 72 (34.3) | 176 (83.8) | <0.001 |
| EBSLN not identified | 138 (65.7) | 34 (16.2) | <0.001 |
| Cernea type 1 | 26 (12.4) | 100 (47.6) | <0.001 |
| Cernea type 2A | 20 (9.5) | 34 (16.2) | 0.04 |
| Cernea type 2B | 26 (12.4) | 42 (20.0) | 0.03 |
| RLN identification rate (%) | 210 (100) | 210 (100) | 1.0 |
| Single-trunk RLN (%) | 150 (71.4) | 132 (62.9) | 0.06 |
| Bifurcated RLN (%) | 60 (28.6) | 78 (37.1) | 0.06 |
| Nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve (%) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.5) | 0.31 |
Values were calculated for nerves at risk (not for patients)
EBSLN external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve, RLN recurrent laryngeal nerve, IONM intraoperative neuromonitoring
†χ2 test for all