Preoperative parathyroid hormone level as a predictive factor for post-thyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism

Postoperative hypoparathyroidism is one of the most frequent complications after thyroid surgery with the incidence being reported to vary from 1.6% to 50% [1-4]. The causes of the postoperative hypoparathyroidism include surgical trauma to the parathyroid glands, inexperience of the surgeon, hyperthyroidism, retrosternal goiter, extent of neck dissection, and thyroid carcinoma. Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia may be categorized into three types according to the symptomatic and biochemical status [5]. Symptomatic and biochemical hypocalcemia is the most significant problem and can progress to the permanent hypocalcemia. Asymptomatic and biochemical hypocalcemia is not a predisposing factor of permanent hypocalcemia. This condition has been presumed to be perioperative hemodilution, or a stunning of parathyroid during the thyroidectomy. Some patients experienced symptomatic and mismatched biochemical hypocalcemia, defined as deOriginal Article Korean Journal of Clinical Oncology 2013;9:28-32 http://dx.doi.org/10.14216/kjco.13005 pISSN 1738-8082 ∙ eISSN 2288-4084