2020 Volume 40 Issue 3 Pages 211-215
We aimed to clarify the risk factors for early postoperative tetany after thyroid surgery in order to facilitate perioperative management by anesthesiologists. We retrospectively investigated the frequency of tetany occurring within 24 h postoperatively in 564 patients who underwent thyroidectomy. We also performed a multivariate logistic regression analysis of its risk factors. The frequency of postoperative early tetany onset was 26%(149 cases), with its risk factors being as follows: young age [odds ratio(OR): 0.98 per year of age(95% confidence interval(CI): 0.96-0.99)], female sex [OR: 2.59(95% CI: 1.41-4.78)], operation time [OR: 1.31 per 60 mins(95% CI: 1.02-1.67)], total thyroidectomy [OR: 2.31(95% CI: 1.49-3.58)], and postoperative calcium(Ca)value [OR: 0.33 per 1 mg/dL(95% CI: 0.21-0.50)]. Female patients, younger age, longer operation time, and total thyroidectomy factors can be used to prioritize postoperative management of patients with a high risk of postoperative tetany onset before postoperative Ca testing.
