Hypocalcaemia following total thyroidectomy: Experience at a tertiary care center

Introduction

Hypocalcaemia following thyroidectomy can cause life threatening complications such as laryngeal spasm and cardiac arrhythmias. Hypocalcaemia can be either transient or permanent.

Aim

To investigate the factors associated with the occurrence of hypocalcaemia in patients who undergo thyroidectomy.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 240 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in the professorial surgical unit, Teaching Hospital, Jaffna were included in this study. It was an institution-based, retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional study to identify the factors associated with the occurrence of hypocalcaemia after thyroidectomy.

Results

Hypocalcaemia occurred in 26 of the 240 patients (10.83%), among whom 24 developed transient hypocalcaemia and two had permanent hypocalcaemia. Factors that showed a significant association with post-operative hypocalcaemia were hyperthyroid state(p=0.01) and prolonged surgery (p=0.011). The occurrence of post-operative hypocalcaemia was least when a most experienced surgeon performed the thyroidectomy (p=0.03).

Conclusions

Hypocalcaemia following thyroidectomy was mostly transient and associated factors were toxic goitre and prolonged surgery. Occurrence was low when the most experienced surgeon performed the operation. Factors associated with occurrence of hypocalcaemia should be informed to surgeons for extra caution and preventive measures during thyroidectomy surgery.