Papel da videoendoscopia da laringe no diagnóstico de lesão do nervo laríngeo recorrente na abordagem cervical anterior The importance of larynx videoendoscopy in diagnosis of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury after anterior approach Papel de la videoendoscopía de laringe en el diagnóstico de lesión del nervio laríngeo recurrente en el abordaje cervical por vía anterior

Introduction: the recognition of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (RLN) after anterior approach for treatment of disc herniation is important in the clinical evolution of patients, especially in reoperation cases. The importance of larynx videoendoscopy (VEL) has not been completely studied. Objective: to identify the prevalence of RLN injury in symptomatic or asymptomatic patients with anterior cervical spine surgery, using VEL. Methods: from June 2009 to July 2010 we selected 30 patients who underwent anterior approach for treatment of disc herniation in Hospital Sao Lucas, from PUC-RS. VEL was made in the preoperatory and in the first ten days after surgery. Patients who had an abnormal VEL were classified with RLN injury and were accompanied RESUMEN