This study was performed to readjust the clinical implications of a nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve by assessing the reported Korean cases of a nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve.

We analyzed the cases of nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve that have been reported in Korea between 1997 and 2008 by reviewing the literature. An internet search was conducted in the NDSL (National Digital Science Library) and the Korean Medical Database.

The data included 3 men and 25 women with an average age of 45.1 (age range: 28~58). All the cases were right-sided, and the incidence rate was 0.38% and 0.86% in two articles, respectively. There was a type I variation in 4 cases (17.4%), type IIa in 19 cases (82.6%), and the others are unknown. Twenty-five cases (89.3%) had the vascular anomaly called arteria lusoria. Only 8 cases (28.6%) were preoperatively predicted as possibly having a nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve. Iatrogenic nerve injury developed in 1 case (3.57%) with a type I variation during the postoperative period.

A similar tendency for the incidence rate, the genderratio, the type distribution and vascular anomaly was observed when comparing the Korean reports with those reports of overseas. The nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve can be preoperatively predicted if proper attention is given when vascular anomaly is noted on CT or USG, and injury will be avoided by intraoperatively following the standard operation technique. There is currently an increasing incidence of thyroid diseases, and so adequate attention must be given to the possibility of a nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve and its management.