Parathyroid Autotransplantation during Total Thyroidectomy—Does the Number of Glands Transplanted Affect Outcome?

World J. Surg. 29, 629–631 (2005) DOI: 10.1007/s00268-005-7729-9 Parathyroid Autotransplantation during Total Thyroidectomy—Does the Number of Glands Transplanted Affect Outcome? F. Fausto Palazzo, M.B., Mark S. Sywak, M.B., Stan B. Sidhu, Ph.D., Bruce H. Barraclough, M.B., Leigh W. Delbridge, M.D. University of Sydney Endocrine Surgical Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, Sydney , 2065, Australia Published Online: April 21, 2005 Abstract. Parathyroid autotransplantation is a technique for ensuring edema despite meticulous dissection [3]. Furthermore, occasion- the continued function of parathyroid tissue at the time of total thy- ally parathyroid glands may be inadvertently removed with the roidectomy (TT). The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the thyroid specimen during surgery because they were not identified number of parathyroids transplanted affects the incidence of temporary intra operatively. The process of parathyroid autotransplantation and permanent hypoparathyroidism. A retrospective cohort study in- cluded all patients undergoing a TT in a single unit between July 1998 during a partial thyroidectomy was first described by Lahey [4]. and June 2003. The number of parathyroids transplanted, the final However, only after the demonstration of the viability of trans- pathology, and the incidence of temporary and permanent hypoparathy- planted parathyroid tissue in humans [5] did autotransplantation roidism were documented. Fisher
s exact test was used for statistical became part of the endocrine surgical armamentarium. Most analysis. A total of 1196 patients underwent a TT during the 5 years surgeons would accept that when preservation of parathyroid studied. Of these, 306 (25.6%) had no parathyroids transplanted, 650 (54.3%), 206 (17.2%), 34 (2.8%) had 1,2, or 3 glands autotransplanted, tissue in situ is not an option the best alternative is parathyroid respectively. The incidence of temporary...