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CC BY 4.0 · J Neuroanaesth Crit Care 2023; 10(03): 189-191
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1768215
Case Report

Finding the Wanderer Nerve: A Novel Use of ETT Surface Electrodes in Vagal Nerve Stimulator Insertion Surgery

Sethulakshmi Prasad
1   Division of Neuroanaesthesia and Neurocritical Care, Department of Anaesthesia, Sree Chitra Institute for Science and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
,
Salini Varma
1   Division of Neuroanaesthesia and Neurocritical Care, Department of Anaesthesia, Sree Chitra Institute for Science and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
,
Manikandan Sethuraman
1   Division of Neuroanaesthesia and Neurocritical Care, Department of Anaesthesia, Sree Chitra Institute for Science and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
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Abstract

Endotracheal tube (ETT) surface electrodes have been in vogue for vagal nerve identification and monitoring for a while. They have been used in thyroid surgeries as well as neurosurgical procedures involving the skull base or brain stem. These electrodes have been proved vital in preventing inadvertent vagal nerve injury and damage during such procedures. However, ETT surface electrodes have not yet been used in vagal nerve stimulator insertion surgeries. Here, we report the first such case of vagal nerve stimulator insertion surgery wherein ETT surface electrodes were successfully used for vagal nerve identification.

Keywords

vagus nerve - endotracheal tube surface electrodes - neuromonitoring - vagal nerve stimulation


Publication History

Article published online:
19 February 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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