Abstract

In 134 thyroidectomies performed in our clinic, unilateral and bilateral proximal ligation has been applied to the inferior thyroid artery and serum calcium levels have been measured preoperatively and postoperatively in each group including the third group without ligation. Symptomatic hypocalcemia (Positive clinical findings and serum calcium less than 7 mg/dl.) was observed in 3(3.9%) cases in control group; in I(7.1%) case in the group with unilateal ligation of artery, and in 2(4.7%) cases in the group with bilateral ligation of artery. Although the postoperative fall of serum calcium level in each group was significant statistically (P<0.001), there was no significant difference between groups (P<0.05). As a result, the proximal ligation of inferior thyroid artery during the bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy does not effect the incidence of post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia in this study.