How we do it: Nerve monitoring in ENT surgery: current UK practice

Nerve injury may complicate mastoid, thyroid, parotid or cervical lymph node surgery. Continuous intra-operative monitoring may help prevent such injury. Nerve monitoring is used by 51% of UK consultant surgeons performing primary mastoid surgery, 90% undertaking parotid surgery, and 24% of surgeons performing routine thyroid surgery. The efficacy of such monitoring in reducing nerve injury during these procedures has not been established. Unless such evidence emerges, a surgeon will not automatically be considered negligent if operating without monitoring.