Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2013 Jul;56(7):431-435. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2013.56.7.431.

The Relationship between the Number of Preserved Parathyroid Glands and Clinical Aspects after Total Thyroidectomy and Central Lymph Node Dissection in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea. ljc0209@hanmail.net
  • 2Department of Internal Medicine and Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
To identify the relation between the preservation status of the parathyroid glands and the risk of hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection in papillary thyroid carcinoma.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
A retrospective review was carried out for the medical records of 63 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), who satisfied our inclusion criteria and received treatment at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital from May 2010 to December 2011. Patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy with central lymph node dissection (CLND) were included and grouped according to the number of preserved parathyroid glands as follows: Group 1 (with four intact glands), Group 2 (three intact glands), Group 3 (less than two intact glands). The total and ionized serum calcium and intact parathyroid hormone levels of each group were monitored after the surgery. Patients with postoperative symptomatic hypocalcemia were considered to have postoperative hypoparathyroidism and received calcium/vitamin D therapy. The hypoparathyroidism was considered to be permanent when calcium/vitamin D therapy was still required six months after surgery.
RESULTS
Out of 63 cases of total thyroidectomy with CLND, 31 (49.2%) showed postoperative hypoparathyroidism as demonstrated by laboratory findings. Permanent hypoparathyroidism, however, was not observed in these cases. The development of hypoparathyroidism was not significantly related with the number of preserved parathyroid glands.
CONCLUSION
To prevent postoperative hypoparathyroidism following total thyroidectomy and CLND, at least two parathyroid glands should be preserved in situ with an intact blood supply in order to prevent permanent hypoparathyroidism after the surgery.

Keyword

Hypocalcemia; Parathyroid; Total thyroidectomy

MeSH Terms

Calcium
Carcinoma
Factor IX
Humans
Hypocalcemia
Hypoparathyroidism
Lymph Node Excision
Lymph Nodes
Medical Records
Neck
Parathyroid Glands
Parathyroid Hormone
Retrospective Studies
Thyroid Gland
Thyroid Neoplasms
Thyroidectomy
Calcium
Carcinoma
Factor IX
Parathyroid Hormone
Thyroid Neoplasms
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