Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia: does arterial ligation play a significant role?

To assess the possible role of truncal ligation of inferior thyroid arteries on post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia, a prospective study was carried out on 80 patients. Bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy was performed for non-toxic nodular goiter in two groups. Inferior thyroid arteries were ligated bilaterally in 50 patients but not ligated in 30 patients. In both groups mean serum calcium levels on the first and second postoperative days were found to be significantly lower than preoperative levels. However these falls were similar in both groups. We conclude that bilateral truncal ligation of inferior thyroid arteries is not a factor that may cause hypocalcemia due to vascular insufficiency of parathyroid glands.