Purpose: To investigate the safety of the Thunderbeat™ (TB) device in thyroid surgery by clarifying its thermal effects on the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN).
Methods: We performed thyroidectomy using TB on four female pigs under general anesthesia. TB was applied 0, 1, and 2 mm from the RLN. The effects of incisions made in tissues in the vicinity of the RLN were evaluated by intraoperative neuromonitoring and pathological examination.
Results: The value of the neural integrity monitor (NIM) was unchanged at 2 and 1 mm, but there was loss of signal at 0 mm. The differences between 2 and 0 mm were not clear from the pathological findings.
Conclusions: When using the TB device during thyroid surgery, it is recommended that it is visually kept from making any contact with the RLN.
Keywords: Energy-based devices; Intraoperative monitoring; Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy; Thermal effects; Thyroidectomy.