The effect of ligasure use on serum parathormone and calcium levels in thyroidectomy surgery

Aims: The use of the modern bipolar closure system enabling a more rapid dissection and hemostasis has increased in thyroidectomy. A significant complication encountered following thyroidectomy is hypocalcemia. This study evaluated the effect of LigaSure™ (LS) use only on postoperative parathormone and calcium levels during total thyroidectomy. Methods: Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy between June 2018 and January 2022 participated in the research. The patients on whom LS was used without any ligature during thyroidectomy were categorized as Group 1; those on whom the ligature was used were categorized as Group 2. Both groups were compared in terms of demographic features, postoperative hypocalcemia, and other complications. Results: In total, 84 patients meeting the criteria were included in the study. Group 1 consisted of 36 patients and Group 2 of 48 patients. The postoperative 1st-day hypocalcemia rate was observed to be higher in the LS group (47.2% for Group 1 and 22.9% for Group 2; p=0.019). However, on the postoperative 30th day, both groups were observed to be evened out in terms of hypocalcemia, and the difference between the two groups lost its statistical significance (2.8% for Group 1 and 2.1% for Group 2; p=0.836). On the postoperative 30th day, no statistically significant differences were observed in either group in terms of hypoparathyroidism, permanent hypocalcemia, and other complications. Conclusion: Although the use of LS increases temporary hypocalcemia in total thyroidectomy, it does not increase the risk of permanent hypocalcemia.