Fig. 3. Relationship between the left recurrent laryngeal nerve and the aortic arch. The left recurrent laryngeal nerve is susceptible to injury with aortic cross-clamping during thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair involving the distal aortic arch and proximal descending aorta. Reproduced with permission from Coselli JS, LeMaire SA: Tips for successful outcomes for descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm procedures. Semin Vasc Surg 2008;21:13–20. Copyright Elsevier.