# 25% of a Laryngeal Nerve Damage?



## TTSunny (Jul 7, 2013)

UPDATE: I meant to say the surgery will have a "25% chance" of damaging the Laryngeal nerves. It will be a TT this time. I had a my right thyroid removed about 30 years ago. The surgeon said due to the previous surgery this one would be difficult.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Do you have 25% damage? Or are you saying he said you will after your TT?

If its the latter, I would seek a second opinion.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

What's your situation that he is predicting 25% damage?

I agree that a second opinion is in order.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Me too, if it is post surgery he/ she's predicting, get a second opinion.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I agree. That's a pretty high percentage. Is there something about your thyroid/surgery that makes it more risky, or is the surgeon just relatively inexperienced?


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## TTSunny (Jul 7, 2013)

Updated my original post. Sorry for the confusion.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Well, I stand behind my concern. Unless you have thyroid tissue wrapped around your larynx, odds of laryngeal nerve damage should be MUCH, MUCH lower. I would get a second opinion. Hopefully you'll find a surgeon who uses a laryngeal nerve monitor and has more confidence in his/her skills. 25% just seems really, really high to me.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Now, I really think you should have a second opinion. I had a partial 22 years ago and things were so much different then, no nerve monitors like now. There is so much more that can be done not to damage the laryngeal nerve. I considered myself extremely that the associate ENT had studied at the Cleveland Clinic Voice Center, and I live in teeny ol' Vermont. I sounded like Edith Bunker before surgery, and I still do!

How many surgeries does your surgeon do weekly? Do you have thyroid tissue wrapped around something? I still think 25% is pretty high. What is going on that you have to have surgery again? Sorry, I missed that part.

The only thing different about my second surgery was that the ENT wanted to use my old scar which I really didn't want him to do. I thought it would disturb any scar tissue there. He told me if he used a new one, I'd look like I'd been in a back alley knife fight. I still was not on board but trusted his opinion. I am glad I did! My scar is hardly noticeable, it is not too much longer than the original, which is about 6 inches long but it was almost that long to begin with. BTW, I never had any voice issues.

I wish you all the best.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I couldn't agree more. Please get a second opinion.
It's one thing to discuss possible complications...it's another thing to say, essentially, that a full quarter of his surgeries end with nerve damage.

Unless you have a particularly complicated case?

To give you a comparison, my surgeon has never had anyone with nerve damage. Never. And he takes the more complicated cases in our area. I had a great experience and, as such, feel very strongly that finding an experienced and highly competent surgeon makes all the difference in the world.


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## TTSunny (Jul 7, 2013)

They told me there's a 99% chance I have papillary thyroid cancer on the bits of residue of the right side that was removed long ago, I guess the doc didn't do it cleanly. And also, cancer on the middle stem. the left thyroid looks good for now.

I actually have the surgery 2 days from now...


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

TTSunny said:


> They told me there's a 99% chance I have papillary thyroid cancer on the bits of residue of the right side that was removed long ago, I guess the doc didn't do it cleanly. And also, cancer on the middle stem. the left thyroid looks good for now.
> 
> I actually have the surgery 2 days from now...


And you know that we wish you all the best. I am wishing for the best of all possible outcomes for you!!!


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## TTSunny (Jul 7, 2013)

Thanks so much!


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Me too! I hope all goes very well!


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