Effect of surgical technique in subtotal and bilateral thyroidectomy on risk of postoperative parathyroid insufficiency development--our experience

One of the postoperative complications after strumectomy is hypoparathyroidism. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of the surgical technique on the development of parathyroid gland insufficiency in our group of patients. Subtotal, bilateral strumectomies were performed according to Rothmund's suggestions. Randomized controlled trial was performed in two groups. In the first group of 19 patients, main trunk of the inferior thyroid artery was ligated and in the second one consisting of 18 patients, only the branches of this artery were ligated. Total calcium and PTH levels were evaluated pre- and postoperatively. Based on the biochemical and clinical data, no statistically significant differences in the development of postoperative hypoparathyroidism in relation to performed surgical techniques were observed.