The recurrent laryngeal nerve is also known as the inferior laryngeal nerve. The right nerve branches from the vagus at the root of the neck around the right subclavian artery. It courses superiorly in the tracheoesophageal groove to enter the larynx between the cricopharyngeus and the esophagus.
Emphysema is a form of chronic (long-term) lung disease. People with emphysema have difficulty breathing from a limitation in blowing air out. There are multiple causes of emphysema, but smoking is by far the most common. Emphysema is one of the main types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
There are over 3 million Americans who have been diagnosed with emphysema, as well as 8 million diagnosed with another form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Left untreated, emphysema can quickly become life-threatening. Gradual Loss of Breath: The Stages of Emphysema & Life Expectancy The progression of emphysema is divided into four stages based, largely based on your lung capacity, as measured by how much air your lungs can expel in one second.