MALIGNANT THYROID DISEASE;

HYPOCALCAEMIA FOLLOWING THYROID SURGERY

Abstract

Objectives: To determine frequency of Transient & permanent hypocalcemia
after Thyroid Surgery for Malignant thyroid disease. Study Design: Observational study.
Setting: Public & Private Sector Hospitals of Hyderabad. Period: December 2008 to April 2016.
Materials and Methods: All patients of Thyroid pathology who fulfilled the inclusion criteria
were admitted in the ward. They were evaluated preoperatively & surgery was performed.
Postoperatively patients were assessed clinically & biochemically for Hypocalcaemia. Patient’s
data was recorded & analyzed for variables like age, sex, diagnosis of thyroid disease on FNAC,
Type of thyroid Malignancy, type of thyroid surgery, Transient & permanent hypocalcemia in
relation to type of type of thyroid surgery performed & the hospital stay. Results: Total 254
patients were operated for different thyroid pathologies. It includes 91(35.82%) male & and
163 (64.17%) female patients making ratio of 1: 1.79. Mean age was 37.29 ±7.4 years.
Amongst them 33 patients were diagnosed as Malignant Thyroid diseases. Most common
type of thyroid malignancy detected was papillary carcinoma in 48.48% patients followed by
follicular carcinoma in 42.42% patients. Most common surgical procedures performed includes
completion thyroidectomy in 57.57% patients with 01(3.03%) of them underwent cervical
neck dissection followed by total thyroidectomy in 36.36% patients with 02(6.06%) of them
underwent cervical neck dissection. Postoperative hypocalcemia was noted in 45.45% patients
with 36.36% patients developed hypocalcemia within 24 hours of operation, 6.06% within 24
to 48 hours & 3.03% patients after 48 hours of surgery. Transient hypocalcemia was noticed in
13/33 (39.39%) cases & permanent hypocalcemia in 02/33(6.06%) patients. Mean hospital stay
was 4.13± 0.32 days. Conclusion: Hypocalcaemia was noted in 15(45.45%) patients operated
for thyroid Malignancy. Revision surgery & cervical lymph node dissection were noted as risk
factors.