Practical application of neuromonitoring using skin electrodes in thyroidectomy

Kim, Wan Wook; Kim, Ji Gun

doi:2023.3.2.77

J Neuromonit Neurophysiol > Volume 3(2); 2023 > Article

Review article

Journal of Neuromonitoring & Neurophysiology 2023;3(2):77-82.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54441/jnn.2023.3.2.77 Published online November 30, 2023.

갑상선 수술에서 피부 전극을 이용한 신경모니터링의 실제적인 적용

김완욱, 김지건

Practical application of neuromonitoring using skin electrodes in thyroidectomy

Wan Wook Kim, Ji Gun Kim

Abstract

Preservation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery is crucial for preserving the patient's quality of life after surgery. It is still considered standard procedure to visually identify the recurrent laryngeal nerve and carefully dissect it in order to preserve the nerve. However, due to the numerous advantages of neuromonitoring, its application in thyroid surgery is gradually increasing. Despite the advantages of neuromonitoring, electromyography tubes could not be used in most thyroid surgeries because they were not covered by insurance. Recently, there has been active research conducted on neuromonitoring using needle electrodes or skin electrodes as alternatives to electromyography (EMG) tubes. In this review, we will examine the practical clinical application of recent neuromonitoring techniques that utilize skin electrodes.

Key Words: Electrodes, Neuromuscular monitoring, Thyroidectomy