Etiology and diagnosis of permanent hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy

Postoperative parathyroid failure is the commonest adverse effect of total thyroidectomy, which is a widely used surgical procedure to treat both benign and malignant thyroid disorders. The present review focuses on the scientific gap and lack of data regarding the time period elapsed between the im...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Sitges-Serra, Antonio
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Repositorio:Repositorio Digital de la UPF
OAI Identifier:oai:repositori.upf.edu:10230/53548
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10230/53548
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm10030543
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:PGRIS
Hypoparathyroidism
Parathyroid failure
Recovery
Splinting
Thyroidectomy
Descripción
Sumario:Postoperative parathyroid failure is the commonest adverse effect of total thyroidectomy, which is a widely used surgical procedure to treat both benign and malignant thyroid disorders. The present review focuses on the scientific gap and lack of data regarding the time period elapsed between the immediate postoperative period, when hypocalcemia is usually detected by the surgeon, and permanent hypoparathyroidism often seen by an endocrinologist months or years later. Parathyroid failure after thyroidectomy results from a combination of trauma, devascularization, inadvertent resection, and/or autotransplantation, all resulting in an early drop of iPTH (intact parathyroid hormone) requiring replacement therapy with calcium and calcitriol. There is very little or no role for other factors such as vitamin D deficiency, calcitonin, or magnesium. Recovery of the parathyroid function is a dynamic process evolving over months and cannot be predicted on the basis of early serum calcium and iPTH measurements; it depends on the number of parathyroid glands remaining in situ (PGRIS)-not autotransplanted nor inadvertently excised-and on early administration of full-dose replacement therapy to avoid hypocalcemia during the first days/weeks after thyroidectomy.