Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41047809›Full record

ArticleAnnals of Saudi medicine

Incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and associated risk factors after thyroidectomy: a retrospective study.

Hussein Alkaf, Sarah Abuduruk, Sara Bayounos, Sherif Kamel Abdelmonim, Jabir Alharbi, Mohammad Ali Alessa, Haddad Alkaff, Ameen Alherabid

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of Saudi medicine. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Conventional clamp-and-tie hemostasis versus energy-based hemostasis devices in total thyroidectomy: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Hussein AlkafFrom the Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat, Al Basheer Hospitals, Amman, Jordan.ORCID 0009-0001-0566-6405
Sarah AbudurukFrom the Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat, Armed Forces Hospital in Taif Region, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Sara BayounosFrom the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Sherif Kamel AbdelmonimFrom the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Jabir AlharbiFrom the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammad Ali AlessaFrom the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Haddad AlkaffFrom the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Ameen AlherabidFrom the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Um AlQura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecurrent laryngeal nerve injury (RLNI) is a wellknown complication of thyroidectomy that can lead to vocal cord palsy (VCP). Identifying risk factors and reducing the incidence of RLNI are essential for improving surgical outcomes.

objectivesTo assess the incidence of permanent VCP after thyroidectomy and evaluate its possible associated risk factors.

designA retrospective cohort study.

settingA multicenter study conducted in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

methodsThe study assessed incidence of permanent RLNI and its associated risk factors in 314 patients who underwent thyroidectomy at our centers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, between December 2014 and December 2024. The data were gathered on general characteristics, clinical findings, and surgical details. Statistical analyses were performed to identify significant risk factors. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Incidence of permanent RLNI and the associated risk factors. SAMPLE SIZE: 314 patients.

resultsOverall incidence of permanent VCP was 9 (2.9%). The left vocal cord was affected in 3 (1%) of cases, while the right vocal cord was affected in 6 (1.9%). Significant risk factors included age over 45 years (

conclusionPost-thyroidectomy VCP is influenced by several factors, including age, gender, previous thyroid surgery, and radioactive iodine dose. These findings highlight the importance of careful pre-operative risk assessment and the use of preventive measures, such as Intra-Operative Nerve monitoring, use of optical magnification and pre-operative predicting of thyroidectomy difficulty to reduce RLNI risk. LIMITATIONS: Possibility of selection bias due to the retrospective design. In addition to lack of use of certain analytical tests and detailed subgroup analysis due to the moderate sample size.

Indexed as

Postoperative ComplicationsRecurrent Laryngeal Nerve InjuriesThyroidectomyVocal Cord ParalysisAdultAgedAge FactorsFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsSaudi ArabiaSex FactorsincidenceRecurrent laryngeal nerve injuryrisk factorsthyroidectomy

Identifiers

PMID41047809
PMCPMC12498103

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.