title: Increased identification of parathyroid glands using near infrared light during thyroid and parathyroid surgery.
abstract: Parathyroid gland (PG) identification during thyroid and parathyroid surgery is challenging. Accidental parathyroidectomy increases the rate of postoperative hypocalcaemia. Recently, autofluorescence with near infrared light (NIRL) has been described for PG visualization. The aim of this study is to analyze the increased rate of visualization of PGs with the use of NIRL compared to white light (WL).
  
  
  
  All patients undergoing thyroid and parathyroid surgery were included in this study. PGs were identified with both NIRL and WL by experienced head and neck surgeons. The number of PGs identified with NIRL and WL were compared. The identification of PGs was correlated to age, sex, and histopathological diagnosis.
  
  
  
  Seventy-four patients were included in the study. The mean age was 48.4 (SD ±13.5) years old. Mean PG fluorescence intensity (47.60) was significantly higher compared to the thyroid gland (22.32) and background (9.27) (p < 0.0001). The mean number of PGs identified with NIRL and WL were 3.7 and 2.5 PG, respectively (p < 0.001). The difference in the number of PGs identified with NIRL and WL and fluorescence intensity was not related to age, sex, or histopathological diagnosis, with the exception of the diagnosis of thyroiditis, in which there was a significant increase in the number of PGs visualized with NIRL (p = 0.026).
  
  
  
  The use of NIRL for PG visualization significantly increased the number of PGs identified during thyroid and parathyroid surgery, and the differences in fluorescent intensity among PGs, thyroid glands, and background were not affected by age, sex, and histopathological diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín", University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Falco
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín", University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.|Department of General Surgery and The Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard, Weston, FL, 33331, USA.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dip
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín", University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quadri
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín", University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de la Fuente
authors.affiliation: National University of Rosario Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prunello
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and The Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard, Weston, FL, 33331, USA. rosentr@ccf.org.
authors.forename: Raúl J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D016105:Parathyroidectomy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Endocrine surgery; Fluorescence; Parathyroid gland autofluorescence; Parathyroid gland identification; Parathyroid surgery; Thyroid surgery