Post-Thyroidectomy Hypocalcemia: A Single-Center Experience

Abstract

IntroductionThyroidectomy is a frequent operation performed worldwide. The most common complication following thyroid surgery is hypocalcemia, caused by transient or persistent hypoparathyroidism. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy and to identify potential risk factors.MethodsAll thyroidectomies performed at a single tertiary center between 2012 and 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia was evaluated in relation to risk factors such as age, sex, procedure type, and type of thyroid disease. Data were extracted from patient medical records. Patients with pre-operative hypocalcemia were excluded.ResultsWe enrolled 182 patients who underwent thyroidectomy. Female patients comprised 83% (n = 151) of the total patients. Of all patients, 116 (63.7%) had developed post-operative temporary hypocalcemia and three (1.6%) had persistent hypocalcemia. Remarkably, no cases of mortality were reported. There was no significant relationship between the occurrence of hypocalcemia and age, type of thyroid disease, and sex. Conversely, there was a significant relationship between the development of hypocalcemia and the type of procedure (P < 0.001).ConclusionThyroidectomy is a safe surgery with few complications when performed by a skilled surgeon. These complications result in longer hospital stays and higher costs. The most common post-thyroidectomy complication was hypocalcemia. Furthermore, patients who underwent total thyroidectomy were at the greatest risk of developing post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia.