Fig. 2.

Microsurgical approach. a Our microsurgical approach in mice to access the laryngeal nerves via a midline ventral neck incision is typically a bloodless procedure. Micro-retractors (white asterisks) are used to maintain the large salivary glands out of the surgical field. The strap muscles obscure the RLN (b) and SLN (c), which are shown at higher magnification in images b and c, respectively. b To access the RLN, the strap muscles are carefully divided along the midline fascia and gently retracted with micro-forceps to expose the tracheal rings (numbered) and RLN (yellow arrows). The inset image shows a close-up of the target tracheal ring region, with the RLN (yellow arrows) isolated from the inferior thyroid artery (black asterisks) with a micro-hook in preparation for surgical transection. c To access the SLN, the strap muscles covering the lateral aspect of the larynx are gently elevated with micro-forceps to expose the SLN (yellow arrows) traveling alongside the superior laryngeal artery (black arrows) near the bifurcation of the common carotid artery (black asterisk). The inset image shows a close-up of the SLN (yellow arrow) isolated from the fascia with micro-forceps