External laryngeal nerve landmarks revisited.

Background: Because external laryngeal nerve (ELN) iatrogenic damage is frequent during neck surgery, its precise localization has been highly recommended. This study analyzes the different surgical landmarks previously proposed and the anatomy of the collateral and terminal branches of the ELN.

Methods: The necks of 157 (77 men and 80 women) human adult embalmed cadavers were examined.

Are the interarytenoid muscles supplied by branches of both the recurrent and superior laryngeal nerves?

Objectives/hypothesis: It has been generally accepted that the branches of the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve to the interarytenoid muscle are exclusively sensory. However, some experimental studies have suggested that these branches may contain motor axons, and therefore that the interarytenoid muscle is supplied by both the superior and recurrent laryngeal nerves. The aim of this work was to determine whether motor axons to the interarytenoid muscles are present in both laryngeal nerves.