Two cases of left recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis after right superior mediastinal node dissection

• Published in: Surgical case reports Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 151
• Main Authors: Nakamura, Yasuyuki, Shindo, Yuma, Arai, Wataru, Tsuruta, Kodai, Maki, Ryunosuke, Miyajima, Masahiro, Watanabe, Atsushi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 28.06.2021; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Case Report; Case reports; Dissection; Laryngoscopy; Lung cancer; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Node dissection; Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis; Surgery; Thoracoscopic surgery; Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis; Node dissection; Lung cancer; Thoracoscopic surgery
• ISSN: 2198-7793; 2198-7793
• DOI: 10.1186/s40792-021-01236-1

Background Ipsilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis is one of the rare complications during the superior mediastinal node dissection for lung cancer. However, very few reports of contralateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis during the procedure are available. Case presentation Two women aged 74 and 80 years developed hoarseness after undergoing right upper lobectomy and right superior mediastinal node dissection for primary lung cancer. Postoperative laryngoscopy in the two patients confirmed left vocal cord paralysis. Conclusion Node dissection is performed in the standard procedure for right upper lobe lung cancer. At this time, care must be taken not to cause damage not only to the recurrent laryngeal nerve on the ipsilateral side but also to the recurrent laryngeal nerve on the contralateral side.