Tumor of any size extending beyond the thyroid to involve soft tissues beneath the skin, the larynx, trachea, esophagus, or recurrent laryngeal nerve.

The glottis closes (muscles innervated by recurrent laryngeal nerve) and the vocal cords contract to shut the larynx.

Injury to the external laryngeal nerve causes weakened phonation because the vocal folds cannot be tightened.

Injury to one of the recurrent laryngeal nerves produces hoarseness, if both are damaged the voice may or may not be preserved, but breathing becomes difficult.

If both of the recurrent laryngeal nerves are paralyzed, shortness of breath may develop and necessitate tracheotomy.

Over the course of evolution, as the neck extended and the heart became lower in the body, the laryngeal nerve was caught on the wrong side of the heart.

Pharyngeal branches of recurrent laryngeal nerve - "rami pharyngei nervi laryngei recurrentis"

The laryngeal nerve, or Galen's nerve, is a nerve originating from the vagus nerve.

One particular discovery he made was of the importance of the recurrent laryngeal nerves.

As for her vocal cords, there was no damage or disease to the laryngeal nerve.