Effect of Microdissection of Inferior Thyroid Artery on Post-operative Hypocalcemia in Total Thyroidectomy

Hypocalcemia is one of the most common complication after bilateral thyroid surgery. Reported rates range from 5 to 35% and 0.5 to 4.4% for transient and permanent hypocalcemia respectively. Various methods have been devised to reduce the post-operative hypocalcemia and range from modification of surgical techniques to use of loops and avoidance of inadverant neck dissections. We conducted a randomised control trial of 50 patients divided into two groups, to evaluate the effect of microdissection and ligation of distal branches of inferior thyroid artery (group B) on incidence of temporary and permanent hypocalcaemia in patients of total thyroidectomy versus its ligation distally close to the thyroid capsule(group A). Postoperative mean total serum calcium levels were lower in group A as compared to group B (9.13 mg/dl vs. 9.33 mg/dl at 24 h; 8.77 vs. 9.10 at 3rd day and 8.58 vs. 8.96 mg/dl on 10 th day) with p > 0.05. The value of ionized serum calcium as recorded on 3rd day was 4.39 mg/dl for group A and 4.72 mg/dl for group B with p value <= 0.001 (Table 2). 19 patients in group A required calcium supplementation for 6 months with incidence of transient hypocalcemia at 76% while 11 patients in group B had calcium supplementation for 6 months with incidence of 40% and difference was significant statistically. Microdissection technique is better for preventing the temporary hypocalcemia and hence decreasing the hospital visits of the patient when compared to the ligation of inferior thyroid artery distally close to the thyroid gland. The incidence of permanent hypocalcemia doesn't varies significantly between both techniques.