SynthesisSurgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA2024
Anatomical variations of recurrent laryngeal nerve: a systematic review and meta-analyses.
Synthesis in Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.
- Reversible Ortner's syndrome in a woman with decompensated rheumatic heart disease: a case report.Journal of medical case reports · 2026Article
- Intraoperative identification of a left non-recurrent laryngeal nerve by neuromonitoring: a critical anatomical finding-case report.Journal of surgical case reports · 2026Article
- Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThe aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to systematically review and perform a meta-analysis on the anatomical variations of the RLN.
methodsWe performed online research for studies that addressed anatomical variations of the RLN and laterality, published between 2015 and 2021. We found 230 articles, and nine were included.
resultsEight variations were found, with Type I prevailing (41.17%; 95% CI 19.44-64.88), extra laryngeal divergence of the RLN. The other types were: II-fan shape; III-distance greater than 5 mm to the cricothyroid joint; IV-thickening and adipopexy in the elderly; V-non-recurrent laryngeal nerve; VI-intracranial branch; VII-tortuous ascending RLN; and VIII-combination between the inferior branch of the NV and the ascending trunk of the RLN. Types I (p = 0) and III (p < 0.01) prevailed on the left and types II (p < 0.01) and V (p < 0.01) on the right.
conclusionsIt was observed that variations occurred due to the path of the RLN to the entrance to the larynx, its shape, and the age of the evaluated individual. The most frequent variation and side were, respectively, Type I, extra laryngeal divergence and left.
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Registered trials
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