Parathyroid failure following thyroid surgery

This cross-sectional study was done to see the association of post thyroidectomy parathyroid failure with thyroid disease and type of surgery. It was carried out in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka during the period of July 2008 to June 2010. Total 50 cases of thyroid malignancy and multinodular goiter who had undergone total or near total thyroidectomy with or without neck dissection were studied. In this study highest number of cases were found in 3rd decade of age (28%) and there was female predominance (M:F=1:3.54). Overall frequency of post operative hypocalcaemia was 30% (26% was temporary hypocalcaemia and 4% was permanent). Hypocalcaemia revealed clinically in 20% cases and remained subclinical in 10% cases. Hypocalcaemia developed in 42.30% cases of malignant thyroid disease and 16.66% cases of benign thyroid disease (p<0.05). It was found in 54.54% cases with neck dissection and 23.07% cases without neck dissection (p<0.05). Hypocalcaemia developed in 62.5% cases where parathyroid gland were not identified and 23.8% cases where parathyroid gland was identified. Hypocalcaemia developed most commonly on the 2nd post operative day (73.33%). There is a significance difference with development of parathyroid failure after thyroid surgery between benign and malignant thyroid disease and also between thyroid surgery with or without neck dissection.