Abstract:Objective: To investigate the risk factors for hypoparathyroidism following radical surgery for thyroid carcinoma and preventive measures. Methods: The clinical data of 75 cases of thyroid cancer surgery performed during the entire year of 2014 by the same main surgeon in Department of General Surgery of Beijing Tongren Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Hypoparathyroidism occurred in 20 patients (26.67%) in the entire group, including 19 cases (25.33%) of transient hypoparathyroidism and one case (1.33%) of permanent hypoparathyroidism. The incidence of postoperative hypoparathyroidism in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy was significantly higher than that in those undergoing nearly total thyroidectomy (46.88% vs. 11.63%, P<0.05), in patients receiving level VI neck dissection was significantly higher than that in those without level VI neck dissection (45.71% vs. 10.00%, P<0.05), and in patients with simultaneous autologous parathyroid transplantation was higher than that in those without parathyroid transplantation, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (50.00% vs. 22.22%, P>0.05). Conclusion: Total thyroidectomy and level VI neck dissection are risk factors for postoperative hypoparathyroidism. Meticulous dissection of the posterior thyroid capsule, especially maintaining the blood supply to the inferior parathyroid glands as best as possible, and postoperative use of preventive medicine may be helpful for protecting parathyroid function.