Is the postoperative hypocalcemia after subtotal thyroidectomy for thyrotoxicosis considered a surgical complication?

ABSTRACT

This study included sixty patients who had subtotal thyroidectomy for thyrotoxicosis. Serum calcium was calculated for every patient preoperatively and on the second postoperative day. PTH level was also measured for every patient on the second postoperative day. Fourteen patients developed postoperative biochemical hypocalcemia and five patients had manifest tetany. PTH and postoperative serum calcium showed insignificant relation. There was no permanent hypocalcemia in this series. The results suggested that the postoperative serum calcium in patients subjected to subtotal thyroidectomy for thyrotoxicosis is directly related to the period of preparation of thyrotoxic patient [the shortest the period the more liability for postoperative hypocalcemia], the level of preoperative serum calcium [the more hypercalcemia, which was due to severe thyrotoxic osteodystrophy, the more liability for postoperative hypocalcemia]. There is no clear evidence for a radical change in surgical teaching from the lateral ligation of the inferior thyroid arteries to protect the recurrent laryngeal nerve