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Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Transoral Robotic Total Thyroidectomy and Bilateral Central Regional Lymph Node Dissection for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Published on: September 15, 2023
Duration of Parathyroid Function Recovery in Patients With Protracted Hypoparathyroidism After Total Thyroidectomy
Yuxuan Qiu1,2, Zhichao Xing2, Qiao Xiang3
1Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Purpose:
The aim of the present study is to investigate the time to recovery of parathyroid function in patients with protracted hypoparathyroidism at 1 month after total thyroidectomy of papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Materials And Methods:
Adult patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid cancer were included. Cases of long-term hypoparathyroidism were studied for recovery of parathyroid function during the follow-up. The duration of recovery and associated variables were recorded.
Results:
Out of the 964 patients, 128 (13.28%) developed protracted hypoparathyroidism and of these, 23 (2.39%) developed permanent hypoparathyroidism and 105 (10.89%) recovered: 86 (8.92%) before 6 months, 11 (1.14%) within 6 and 12 months and 8 (0.83%) after 1 year follow-up. Variables significantly associated with the time to parathyroid function recovery were number of autotransplanted parathyroid glands (HR, 1.399; 95% CI, 1.060 - 1.846; P = 0.018), serum calcium concentration >2.07 mmol/L (Hazard ratio [HR], 1.628; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.009 - 2.628; P = 0.046) and PTH level > 1.2 pmol/L (HR, 1.702; 95% CI, 1.083 - 2.628; P = 0.021) at 1 month postoperatively.
Conclusion:
Permanent hypoparathyroidism should not be diagnosed easily by time, since up to one-fifth of the patients will experience recovery after a period of 6 months and a few patients even beyond one year. The number of autotransplanted parathyroid glands is positively associated with the time to parathyroid function recovery.
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