Prophylactic Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation to Prevent Hypocalcemia Post-Thyroidectomy

Abstract

Background: Hypocalcemia is a common post-operative complication of Thyroidectomy. This study is aimed to evaluate and treat hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy procedure with routine administration of oral calcium and vitamin D supplements. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of oral calcium and vitamin D administration in preventing hypocalcemia post-thyroidectomy. Subjects and Methods: This was a prospective randomized controlled study conducted on 50 patients undergoing total or near total thyroidectomy for benign or malignant disease over the period of one year from February 2017 to January 2018 at Department of General Surgery, Bhaskar Medical College, Yenkapally, Moinabad, Ranga Reddy District, Telangana, India. All the participants were randomly assigned to routinely receive or not receive oral calcium (3 g/d) and vitamin D (1 g/d) for 2 weeks. Hypocalcemia symptoms and signs and total serum calcium levels were monitored and compared between the 2 groups. Data were presented in the form of statistical tables and charts. SPSS software version 20 was used for statistical analysis. Results: The hypocalcemic symptoms were minimal in the supplement group but more severe in the group not receiving the supplement. Serum calcium levels decreased in both groups after surgery but recovered earlier in the supplement group. Conclusion: In reducing the incidence and severity of hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy, routine administration of supplements containing oral calcium and vitamin D has been effective.