Analysis of the factors that have an effect on hypocalcemia following thyroidectomy.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of and risk factors for hypocalcemia following thyroidectomy were evaluated in this study.


METHODS
One hundred and ninety thyroidectomy patients were evaluated retrospectively for factors that might contribute to postoperative hypocalcemia; age, hyperthyroidism, malignancy, the extent of surgery (total/near total/subtotal thyroidectomy), cervical lymph node dissection, and incidental parathyroidectomy.


RESULTS
The rate of transient hypocalcemia/hypoparathyroidism was 19.47%, with a permanent hypoparathyroidism rate of 4.74%. Factors affecting the development of transient hypocalcemia were found as being operated for hyperthyroidism, and use of total thyroidectomy as the surgical method. Total thyroidectomy increased the risk of postoperative hypocalcemia by 3.16 fold. Patients undergoing operations for hyperthyroidism had a 2.3 fold increase, and those undergoing total thyroidectomy had a 3.16 fold risk of postoperative hypocalcemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperthyroidism surgery and total thyroidectomy lead to a higher risk of developing early postoperative or transient hypocalcemia. According to our results, no significant relationship could be established between any of the study parameters and persistent hypocalcemia.
Department of General Surgery, Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus Turkish Republic.
Doğa
D
Kalyoncu
Department of General Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa Taksim Teaching and Training Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Doğan
D
Gönüllü
Department of General Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa Taksim Teaching and Training Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Mehmet Lari
ML
Gedik
Department of General Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa Taksim Teaching and Training Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Muzaffer
M
Er
Department of General Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa Taksim Teaching and Training Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Erol
E
Kuroğlu
Department of Pathology, Gaziosmanpaşa Taksim Teaching and Training Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Ayşenur A
AA
İğdem
Department of General Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa Taksim Teaching and Training Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Ferda Nihat
FN
Koksoy
Thyroidectomy; permanent hypoparathyroidism; risk factors; transient hypocalcemia