A prospective study of incidence of hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy

Abstract

Aims & Objectives of the study: This is a prospective study to evaluate the incidence of hypocalcemia (both transient and permanent) following total thyroidectomy. About 120 patients were included over a period of 3 years from January 2018 to December 2021 admitted in department of general surgery, Trichy SRM Medical College and Research centre. Observation and Conclusion: Postoperative hypocalcemia is the most common and sometimes the most severe and potentially debilitating complication observed after Near total thyroidectomy and Total thyroidectomy. Regarding the sex distribution in this study, there were 23 males (19.2%) and 117 females (81.8%), thus we can infer that thyroid disorders are overwhelmingly more common in the fairer sex. But malignancy of thyroid gland was more common in male gender (60% of cases), probably male gender being in a greater risk for malignancy as per the AGES/AMES Criteria for thyroid malignancies. But the benign disorders of thyroid were more common among females in age group of 20-50 yrs (60%). Malignant disorders of thyroid were more common after 50 yrs of age. The incidence of hypocalcemia (transient) in our study is 21.6% and permanent hypocalcemia requiring lifelong calcium and/or vitamin D3 supplementation is 7.5%.