Endoscopic thyroidectomy versus traditional open thyroidectomy for identification of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve.

Aim: To explore the anatomical features of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) and determine an effective approach for its preservation during endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET).

Methods: From January 2017 to December 2018, a total of 405 consecutive patients with thyroid disease were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into the ET group and the open thyroidectomy (OT) group according to the surgical approaches.