During thyroidectomy, inferior thyroid artery is ligated at:

Ans. (b) Close to the glandRef: Schwartz 10/ep 1553-1554RLN and Thyroid surgery:* The course of the right RLN is more oblique than the left RLN.* The nerves can be most consistently identified at the level of the cricoid cartilage* The inferior thyroid vessels are dissected, skeletonized, ligated, and divided as close to the surface of the thyroid gland as possible to minimize devascularization of the parathyroids (extracapsular dissection) or injury to the RLN.* The RLN is most vulnerable to injury in the vicinity of the ligament of Berry.* The nerve often passes through this structure along with small crossing arterial and venous branches (as shown in below Fig.).* Any bleeding in this area should be controlled with gentle pressure before carefully identifying the vessel and ligating it.* Use of the electrocautery should be avoided in proximity to the RLN.