Preoperative vitamin D levels do not relate with the risk of hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy. A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Hypocalcemia is the most common complication following total thyroidectomy. Few factors may relate with increased risk of postoperative hypocalcemia. Preoperative vitamin D values have been evaluated in few studies, but reports present conflicting data. Aim of our study is to evaluate the association of preoperative vitamin D values and hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing total thyroidectomy in our department of endocrine surgery between November 2012 and November 2015 was performed. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 56.2 years (±14.0) and sex ratio (F:M) was 4.3:1. Sixty-four patients (17.4%) had preoperative vitamin D insufficiency (x<25 nmol/L), 138 patients (37.5%) vitamin D deficiency (2550 nmol/L). Following total thyroidectomy for both benign and malignant pathology, 66 patients (17.9%) had symptomatic hypocalcemia (x<2.0 mmol/L) requiring medical treatment (group 1), 64 patients (17.4%) biochemical hypocalcemia (22.1 mmol/L, group 3). Mean postoperative PTH value was 25.4 pg/ml (range 2-61). No statistical correlation between postoperative serum calcium and preoperative vitamin D values (R=-0.001, P=0.9849) was found nor associations were found regarding age, sex, type of thyroid disease or BMI. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort of patients, preoperative vitamin D levels were not associated with a higher risk of hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy. Postoperative PTH appears to be the most sensible item to predict the risk of postoperative symptomatic hypocalcemia.

The ALPPS technique for bilateral colorectal metastases: three "variations on a theme".

The aim of this study was to assess feasibility of technical variations of the associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy technique (ALPPS) with regard to three different ways of liver splitting. The ALPPS technique was applied in the classic form consisting in ligation of the right portal vein, limited resections on the left lobe and splitting along the umbilical fissure; the right lobe was removed 1 week later. The first variation was "left ALPPS": ligation of the left portal vein, multiple resections on the right hemiliver and splitting along the main portal fissure. The second variation was "rescue ALPPS", consisting in simple splitting of the liver along the main portal fissure several months after a radiological portal vein embolization that did not allow satisfactory liver hypertrophy. The third variation was "right ALPPS", consisting in ligation of the posterolateral branch of right portal vein, left lateral sectionectomy, multiple resections on the right anterior and left medial section and splitting along the right portal fissure. In all cases auxiliary deportalized liver was removed 1 week later. 4 patients with colorectal metastases were included. Morbidity was defined according to the Clavien-Dindo classification: grade I (2 events), grade IIIb (1 event). Postoperative mortality was nil. Median follow-up was 4 months and to date all patients are still alive. ALPPS technique, in its "classical" and modified forms, is a good option for selected patients with bilateral colorectal metastases and represents a feasible alternative to classical two-stage hepatectomy.