title: Hypocalcemia after minimally invasive thyroidectomy.
abstract: We conducted a retrospective study to determine the incidence of postoperative hypocalcemia following minimally invasive thyroidectomy. During the 2-year study period, 74 patients-16 men and 58 women (mean age: 43.7)-underwent either total or hemithyroidectomy through a 3-cm incision. Postoperative hypocalcemia occurred in 14 of these patients (18.9%)-4 men and 10 women-all of whom underwent total rather than hemithyroidectomy. All these patients received supplementation with calcium and vitamin D for 2 weeks postoperatively in order to regain a normal calcium status, and all demonstrated normal serum calcium levels at 3 weeks. Despite their low calcium levels, none of the 14 patients exhibited any overt symptoms of hypocalcemia. We conclude that minimally invasive thyroidectomy is associated with a low rate of postoperative hypocalcemia that is comparable to the rates previously reported for standard thyroidectomy.
authors.affiliation: Mount Carmel ENT, 5969 E. Broad St., Suite 400, Columbus, OH 43213, USA. dougmassick@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Doug
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Massick
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Garrett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium