A Clinical Study and Management of Hypocalcemia Following Thyroid Surgery Raj Pratima1, Abhilash V2,*, Suma S3, Prasad K Krishna4 1Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, Karnataka, India 2Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, Karnataka, India 3Post-graduate (PGY3)Department of Surgery, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, Karnataka, India 4Professor, Department of General Surgery, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, Karnataka, India *Corresponding Author: Dr. Abhilash V, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, Karnataka, India. Phone No.:9886456626, e-mail ID: abhilash.v05@gmail.com
Online published on 17 July, 2019. Abstract Background Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia is a serious complication. Hypocalcaemia may occur secondarily to surgical trauma, devascularisation, unintentional removal of parathyroid glands, reoperation. Surgery has been seen as a risk factor, as in total thyroidectomy there is potential blood supply involvement resulting from bilateral surgical manipulation. This study aims to prospectively study and analyse the incidence and possible causes of hypocalcaemia following thyroid surgery, and its management. Method and Materials Data was collected from the patients undergoing subtotal and near total thyroidectomies from November 2012 to October 2014 by evaluating and investigating meticulous and planned for surgery. They were follow-up on day one after surgery, at the time of discharge and 6 months after surgery for post-operative hypocalcaemia. Observation 6 out of 50 patients (12%) developed postoperative hypocalcaemia, there was no incidence of permanent hypocalcaemia. Near total thyroidectomy was performed in 35(70%) patients, 1 from them (2.86%) developed hypocalcaemia and the other 5 out of 14 cases (35.71%) underwent total thyroidectomy. The hypocalcaemia was 9% in multinodular goitre (3 out of 33 patients), 20% in papillary carcinoma (1 out of 5 patients) and 40% in follicular neoplasm (2 out of 5 patients). Conclusion When preservation of parathyroid glands and their blood supply is enforced during thyroidectomy, the incidence of postoperative hypocalcaemia and permanent hypoparathyroidism can be consistently deceased. Top Keywords Thyroidectomy, Hypocalcaemia, post-operative complications, management, hypo parathyroid. Top |