Background & objectives: Hypocalcaemia is one of the severe complications of total thyroidectomy. This complication occurs due to parathyroid glands damage during operation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of transitory and permanent hypocalcaemia in patients who were subjected to total thyroidectomy and the role of the parathyroid autotransplantation on permanent hypocalcaemia .

  Methods: In this retrospective study, one hundred patients who suffered from malignant ( group I, 46 persons) and benign (group II, 54 persons) thyroid diseases and subjected to total thyroidectomy were included and preventing role of parathyroid autotransplantation�on hypocalcaemia (permanent and transitory) was studied. Of 37 individuals of the group I who were treated with total thyroidectomy, 3 patients (subgroup A) were autotranspalnted with parathyroid glands and the rests (9 persons) who their neck lymph nodes were dissected radically and then undergone total thyroidectomy , 4 patients (subgroup B) were accomplished the autotranspalntation . In group II, just 2 patients were autotranspalnted. In overall, only in 9% of cases the autotranspalntations were done into sternocleidomastoid and deltoid muscle fibers.

  Results: Sixty seven percent of the patients were female with average age of 39.9 ± 10.8 years and 33% were male with average age of 37.2 ± 8.8 years. Seventeen percent of the patients showed transitory hypocalcaemia (13 persons in group I: 8 persons in subgroup A and 5 persons in subgroup B, 4 persons in group II). They were treated with intravenous and oral calcium supplements. None of patients progressed to permanent hypocalcaemia. The recovery rate obtained by the autotransplantation was significant statistically between two groups (p=0.006) and two subgroups (p=0.04). Temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis also occurred in 2% of patients but no paralysis was observed.

  Conclusion: The autotransplantation of injured or incidentally removed parathyroid glands into sternocleidomastoid or deltoid muscle fibers can prevent the permanent hypocalcaemia.