Fig. 3

A 26-year-old male patient with tubercle of Zuckerkandl combined with thyroid nodules (ZTTN, white arrow) in the right lobe underwent underwent total thyroidectomy and standard central lymph node dissection. The pathological results of the patient confirmed that were papillary thyroid carcinoma. (A) The distance from the farthest outside of ZTTN (white arrow) to the outer edge of thyroid is 6.0 mm (ZTTN grade 2). (B) The recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN, asterisk) is located at the back of ZTTN (white arrow) and the relationship between ZTTN and RLN is Type A. (C) The ZTTN (white arrow) invade the RLN(asterisk) and the boundary between ZTTN and RLN is unclear. (D) Gross specimen of right lobe of thyroid gland and ZTTN (white arrow). (E) Intraoperative findings demonstrated the RLN (asterisk) is located at the back of ZTTN (white arrow) and the ZTTN invade the RLN. (F) The separated RLN (asterisk) is very fine after right thyroidectomy