Q: What is the best way to avoid damage to recurrent laryngeal nerve during intubation?

Answer: One of the major reason of nerve damage during intubation is over-inflated and mal-positioned ETT cuff. The anterior branch of the recurrent laryngeal nerve can be compressed between the endotracheal tube's cuff and the lamina of the thyroid cartilage when the cuff is inflated. If the cuff of endotracheal tube is positioned at more than 15 mm below the vocal cords, it can avoid expansion of the cuff in the larynx.

Reference:

Benumof JL. Airway Management: Principles and Practice. St. Louis: Mosby; 1996. p. 868.