Evaluation of risk factors for incidental parathyroidectomy during thyroidectomy

Objective: Hypocalcemia remains a common problem after thyroidectomy. One of the most common causes of this condition is incidental parathyroidectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for incidental parathyroidectomy and the clinical outcomes of incidental parathyroidectomy in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 817 patients who underwent thyroidectomy at the Department of General Surgery at Gazi University between January 2015 and June 2022. Medical records were reviewed for demographic, pathological, and clinical variables. The primary outcome measure was the factors affecting incidental parathyroidectomy, and the secondary outcome measure was the clinical results of incidental parathyroidectomy. Results: Adding lymph node dissection to thyroidectomy statistically increased the frequency of incidental parathyroidectomy (p