Major complication of thyroid surgery is recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Position of terminal branches of inferior thyroid arteries in relation to recurrent laryngeal nerve varies. The artery may lie posterior or anterior to the nerve or the main trunk of the nerve or its branches intermingle with the terminal branches of the inferior thyroid artery. Aim: To study the relation of inferior thyroid artery to recurrent laryngeal nerve. Objectives: To avoid the risk of nerve damage during thyroid surgery, a good knowledge of the variations of the recurrent laryngeal nerve is essential. The present study is an approach to objective to increase the information pool and help the clinicians and surgeons in their practice. Material and Methods: Present study includes total 100 thyroid glands from cadavers, embalmed with 10% formalin of known sex from Medical colleges. Study Periods and Designs: Between years Dec 2012 to Jan 2014. Results: Most common relation on right side was nerve intermingled with artery (NIA) .Least common relation on right side was nerve posterior to artery (NPA). Most common relation on left side is nerve posterior to artery (NPA). Least common relation on left side was nerve intermingled with artery (NIA) . When both sides were considered together, then the most common relation was nerve posterior to artery (NPA). Least common relation was nerve anterior to artery (NAA). Coclusion: If both sides of thyroid gland were consider together (n=200), the most common relation was nerve posterior to artery. Least common relation was nerve anterior to artery.

Keywords: Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve; Thyroid Gland; Inferior Thyroid Artery.