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Updated: May 22, 2026

Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach for Thyroid Lobectomy
Published on: May 12, 2023
Cost-effectiveness analysis regarding postoperative administration of vitamin-D and calcium after thyroidectomy to
Alvaro Sanabria1, Luis C Domínguez, Valentín Vega
1Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chia, Colombia. alvarosanabria@gmail.com
Objective:
Hypocalcaemia is a frequently arising complication following total thyroidectomy. Routine postoperative prophylactic administration of vitamin D or metabolites and calcium reduce the incidence of symptomatic hypocalcaemia; this article reports evaluating its cost-effectiveness in Colombia.
Methods:
Meta-analysis was used for comparing the administration of vitamin D or metabolites to oral calcium or no treatment at all in patients following total thyroidectomy and a cost-effectiveness analysis was designed based on a decision-tree model with local costs.
Results:
The OR value for the comparison between calcitriol and calcium compared to no treatment and to exclusive calcium treatment groups was 0.32 (0.13-0.79 95 %CI) and 0.31 (0.14-0.70 95 %CI), respectively. The most cost-effective strategy was vitamin D or metabolites and calcium administration, having a US $0.05 incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.
Conclusion:
Prophylactic treatment of hypocalcaemia with vitamin D or metabolites + calcium or calcium alone is a cost-effective strategy.
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