Incidence and Risk Factors of Postoperative Hypocalcaemia Following Total and Near-Total Thyroidectomy
Keywords:
Hypocalcaemia, Parathyroid glands, Postoperative complications, Serum calcium, ThyroidectomyAbstract
Thyroidectomy is a commonly performed surgical procedure for various thyroid diseases. Despite advances in surgical techniques, postoperative hypocalcaemia remains one of the most frequent complications, particularly following total thyroidectomy.
The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of postoperative hypocalcaemia and to evaluate its characteristics and outcomes among patients undergoing thyroid surgery.
A descriptive retrospective study was conducted using thyroidectomy records from Benghazi Medical Center between 2010 and 2016. The study included patients operated on for non-toxic goiter, toxic goiter, recurrent goiter, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, thyroid malignancy, and Graves’ disease. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0.
A total of 74 patients were included in the study. Postoperative hypocalcaemia occurred in 27.7% of cases. The majority of patients were female, and hypocalcaemia was more common among women than men. Higher incidence rates were observed in patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and in those with retrosternal extension.
Postoperative hypocalcaemia remains a relatively common complication following thyroidectomy. Careful surgical technique and close postoperative monitoring of serum calcium levels are essential to reduce its incidence
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