• Ilker Murat Arer, Murat Kus, Nezih Akkapulu, Huseyin Ozgur Aytac, Hakan Yabanoglu, Kenan Caliskan, and Mehmet Akin Tarim.
• Baskent University Adana Teaching and Research Center, Department of General Surgery, Adana, Turkey. Electronic address: igy1981@yahoo.com.
• Int J Surg. 2017 Feb 1; 38: 9-14.

BackgroundPostoperative hypocalcemia is the most common complication after total thyroidectomy. Postoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) measurement is one of the methods to detect or prevent postoperative hypocalcemia. Prophylactic oral calcium supplementation is another method to prevent early postoperative hypocalcemia. The aim of this study is to detect the accurate timing of PTH and evaluate efficacy of routine oral calcium supplementation for postoperative hypocalcemia.MethodsA total of 106 patients were performed total thyroidectomy. Rotuine oral calcium supplementation was given to group 1 and no treatment to group 2 according to randomization. Serum calcium and PTH level of patients in group 2 at postoperative 6, 12 and 24 h and patients in both groups at postoperative day 7 were evaluated. Patients were compared according to age, sex, operation findings, serum calcium and PTH levels and symptomatic hypocalcemia.ResultsHalf of the patients (50%) were in group 1. Most of the patients were female (83%). The most common etiology of thyroid disease was multinodular goiter (64.1%). Oral calcium supplementation was given to 18 (33.9%) patients in group 2. Symptomatic hypocalcemia for group 1 and 2 was found to be 1.9 and 33.9% respectively (p < 0.05). No statistical difference can be observed regarding the timing of serum biomarkers.ConclusionSerum PTH levels at postoperative 12 and 24 h can predict early post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. Prophylactic oral calcium supplementation therapy can prevent early post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia with advantages of being cost effective and safe.Copyright © 2016 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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