Intact Parathyroid Hormone Levels in Predicting Postoperative Hypocalcaemia After Total Thyroidectomy in South Indian Population: Cross Sectional Study

• Published in: Indian journal of otolaryngology, and head, and neck surgery and head, and neck surgery, 2022-12, Vol.74 (Suppl 3), p.5940-5945
• Main Authors: Saxena, Sunil Kumar, Coimbatore Balakrishnan, Manu, Bobby, Zachariah, Maroju, Nanda Kishore, Alexander, Arun, Sivaraman, G., Elaprolu, Snigdha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cross-sectional studies; Head and Neck Surgery; Hypocalcemia; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original; Original Article; Otorhinolaryngology; Postoperative period; Thyroidectomy
• ISSN: 2231-3796; 0973-7707
• DOI: 10.1007/s12070-021-02570-4

Hypocalcaemia being one of the most common complications after total thyroidectomy may not be avoidable in all cases. This study evaluated the effectiveness of intact Parathyroid hormone (iPTH) measured at 1-h after total thyroidectomy in predicting postoperative hypocalcaemia in early postoperative period in South Indian population. Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in our institute from 2016 to 2018 were included. Preoperative calcium and iPTH levels were measured. Patients’ iPTH level was measured 1 h after surgery and serum calcium level was measured at 24 h after surgery. Patients were also monitored clinically for any symptoms and signs of hypocalcaemia. A total of 57 patients were studied. The malignant causes accounted for 75.4% with papillary carcinoma thyroid being the most common cause. 65.7% of patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and 100% of patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with neck dissection developed hypocalcaemia. 70% of patients with low iPTH developed hypocalcaemia and none of the patients who had normal iPTH developed hypocalcaemia. This relation was statistically significant with p value of 0.018 (