Biometrics of the suspensory ligament of the thyroid and its correlation with the morphometry of the thyroid gland in cadavers of human fetuses

Introduction: Berry’s ligament (BL) is a known anatomical structure, which connects the thyroid gland to the tracheal wall, but its biometry has so far been little explored. Objective: In the present study, we sought to perform the BL biometry, correlating it with the morphometry of the thyroid gland. Material and method: Without the aid of optical instruments, the BL of 24 thyroid glands of human fetuses were dissected. With the gland in an anatomical position, the biometric data of the BL and the gland were taken. The data were treated statistically to establish the correlation between the length and height of the BL with the biometric data of the thyroid gland. Result: Significant correlations were found at the 5% level for the width of the thyroid gland and the weight of the gland, as well as for the length of the left lobe and the width of the right and left thyroid lobes, all in relation to the length of the LB and also the length in relation to the width of the gland and the isthmus of the thyroid gland. There was no significant correlation between the BL height and the morphometric findings of the right and left lobes and the isthmus of the thyroid gland. Conclusion: Knowledge of the anatomy of the BL is essential to prevent, in particular, injuries to the RLN, during thyroidectomy or parathyroidectomy.