Ortega, ConsueloMaranillo Alcaide, EvaMcHanwell, SteveSañudo Tejero, José RamónVázquez Osorio, María Teresa2024-01-082024-01-082018Ortega C*, Maranillo E*, McHanwell S, Sañudo J, Vázquez-Osorio T. External laryngeal nerve landmarks revisited. Head Neck. 2018 Sep;40(9):1926-1933.1043-307410.1002/hed.25186https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/91817Consuelo Ortega and Eva Maranillo contributed equally to this study.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. The ELN origin, length, and relationship to different landmarks were recorded and results statistically compared with those previously reported. Results: The ELN is located deep to the ascending pharyngeal vein in 100% of patients. In most patients, it crosses the carotid axis at the thyroid artery origin level (47% of patients), passes medial to it (89% of patients), and shows an intramuscular trajectory through the inferior constrictor of the pharynx (80% of patients). Conclusion: The ELN position, in relation to classical landmarks, is highly variable. The most reliable relationships are those with the ascending pharyngeal vein or with the superior thyroid artery.engjournal articlehttps://doi.org/10.1002/hed.25186https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970347restricted access611Anatomic variationsLaryngeal innervationLaryngeal nervesNeck surgerySuperior laryngeal nerveCiencias Biomédicas2410.02 Anatomía Humana3213.05 Cirugía de Garganta, Nariz y Oídos