Abstract

In this study 34 cases of bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy for nontoxic benign thyroid disease are separeted in two groups. At the operation, bilateral inferior thyroid arteries were ligated in 17 cases (Group 1) and were not ligated in 17 cases (Group 2). In all cases serum parathormon and calcium levels were detected preoperatively, postoperatively on the first and third day. In group 1 serum parathormon levels were 13.06-10.5-9.81 ng/dl; in group 2 18. 93-16.81-19.01 ng/dl respectively. Serum calcium levels were 9.11-8.08-8.23 mg/dl in group 1 and 9.2-8.85-9.11 mg/dl in group 2 respectively. The changes of serum parathormon levels were not statistically significant (p>0.3). The changes of serum calcium levels were statistically significant (p<0.001) in group 1 (arteries ligated); were not significant (p>0.1) in group 2 (arteria not ligated). In all cases of group 1 serum calcium levels were decreased postoperatively; in first day, 12 cases (70.5%), in third day 7 cases (41.2%) were hypocalcemic. In group 2, 6 cases (35.3%) and 2 cases (11.8%) were hypocalcemic on the first and third postoperative days respectively. Postoperativety more patients were hypocalcemic in arteria ligated group but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). After bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy serum calcium levels decrease with the effect of various factors due to surgical trauma. Ligation of inferior thyroid arteria increases the incidence of transient postthroidectomy hypocalcemia.