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Sally E. Carty, MD

Arch Surg. 2008;143(2):138.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Hypocalcemia is common after surgery of any type, but it is more common after total thyroidectomy. The study by Asari et al adds to a recent spirited literature examining perioperative PTH levels for clinical utility in preemptive management of hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy alone^1-2 or with concomitant neck dissection.³ The authors' goal of facilitating safe and timely hospital discharge is laudable.

It is important to distinguish between hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism. As discussed in current endocrinologic textbooks, the diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism demands examination of both calcium and PTH levels. It is true that the terms hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism have been used interchangeably in some of the surgical literature. The diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism can be complex, especially in the current era of gastric bypass surgery, endemic vitamin D deficiency, renal transplantation, use of bisphosphonates, and other factors that can affect PTH levels. This article reminds surgeons of the . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Hypoparathyroidism After Total Thyroidectomy: A Prospective Study
Reza Asari, Christian Passler, Klaus Kaczirek, Christian Scheuba, and Bruno Niederle
Arch Surg. 2008;143(2):132-137.
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