Abstract

To estimate serum PTH levels pre operatively and at 4th and 12th hour post operatively for patients undergoing total thyroidectomy. Materials and methods: An Cross-sectional Analytical study in 33 patients who were planned for Total thyroidectomy is a frequently done surgery in the department of otorhinolaryngology in our hospital. Results: Hypocalcemia is one of the complications of thyroid surgery which can be transient (3-30%) or permanent (0.5-10.6%). Clinically significant hypocalcemia may occur within 48 hours after thyroidectomy. However latent hypocalcemia may be delayed up to 4 days after the surgery. So, the onset and severity of hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy is unpredictable and in order to monitor the serum calcium post operatively, patient may require multiple blood tests. Hypocalcemia can sometimes be life threatening. We aimed to estimate serum PTH levels pre operatively and at 4th and 12th hour post operatively for patients undergoing total thyroidectomy. we found that post-op 4 hour PTH is better predictor of transient hypocalcemia than the Post-op 12 th hour PTH. After total thyroidectomy a PTH value of ≤13.7 at 4th hour or a PTH value of ≤12.4 at 12th hour can be considered as cut-off for predicting transient hypocalcaemia. Conclusions: Both post - op 4th and 12th hour PTH levels were found to have similar ability in predicting transient and prolonged hypocalcemia in the patients undergoing total thyroidectomy and either of them can be used as a predictor with similar results

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