recurrent laryngeal nerve


re·cur·rent la·ryn·ge·al nerve

[TA] a branch of the vagus nerve curving upward, on the right side around the root of the subclavian artery, on the left side around the arch of the aorta, then passing superiorly, posterior to the common carotid artery between the trachea and the esophagus to the larynx; it supplies cardiac, tracheal, and esophageal branches and terminates as the inferior laryngeal nerve. Synonym(s): nervus laryngeus recurrens [TA], recurrent nerve

re·cur·rent la·ryn·ge·al nerve

(rĕ-kŭr'ĕnt lă-rin'jē-ăl nĕrv) [TA] A branch of the vagus nerve curving upward, on the right side around the root of the subclavian artery, on the left side around the arch of the aorta, then passing superiorly, posterior to the common carotid artery between the trachea and the esophagus to the larynx; it supplies cardiac, tracheal, and esophageal branches and terminates as the inferior laryngeal nerve.

recurrent laryngeal nerve

a branch of the vagus nerve in mammals which loops round the DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS and then goes forward along the trachea. Its peculiar route results from evolutionary lengthening of the neck.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve

One of two offshoots of the vagus nerve that connect to the larynx. It is located below the larynx.Mentioned in: Thyroidectomy, Vocal Cord Paralysis