title: Relationship between hypoparathyroidism and the number of parathyroid glands preserved during thyroidectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship between the number of parathyroid glands preserved and hypoparathyroidism is not well understood. We sought to determine the number of parathyroid glands that need to be preserved to prevent hypoparathyroidism.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 454 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma. We analyzed the frequency of hypoparathyroidism according to the number of parathyroid glands preserved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Incidental parathyroidectomy occurred in 19.8% of the patients; one parathyroid gland in 17.6%, two in 1.5%, and three in 0.7%. Transient hypoparathyroidism was increased when incidental parathyroidectomy occurred (odds ratio 1.83, 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 3.23, P = 0.036) on multivariate regression analysis, but was not influenced by the actual number of parathyroid glands removed. There was no relationship between the number of parathyroid glands preserved and permanent hypoparathyroidism (P = 0.147).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preservation of all parathyroid glands decreases transient hypoparathyroidism compared with when three or fewer glands are preserved, but does not affect permanent hypoparathyroidism. During total thyroidectomy, preserving at least one parathyroid gland with an intact blood supply appears to be sufficient to prevent permanent hypoparathyroidism when autotransplantation is not performed.
authors.forename: Chang Myeon
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Joo Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Yong Bae
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Hyun Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: You Hern
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimniro, Seongdong-Gu, Seoul 133-792, South Korea. kytae@hanyang.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kyung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tae
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007011:Hypoparathyroidism / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D059351:Organ Sparing Treatments; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016105:Parathyroidectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D055815:Young Adult