The application of subcapsular saline injection to preserve the parathyroid gland during thyroidectomy.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effect of subcapsular saline injection (SCASI) after total thyroidectomy.
Methods: A total of 77 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2021 were selected and divided into the SCASI group (n = 43) and the non-SCASI group (n = 34). The general clinical data of the patients were collected, and serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and serum calcium levels were determined preoperatively, on the 1st postoperative day, and at 1 and 6 months after the operation. These data were compared between groups.
Results: There was no significant difference in postoperative complications between the two groups. The PTH and serum calcium levels in the SCASI group were significantly higher than those in the non-SCASI group on the 1st postoperative day (t = 2.340, 5.208, both P < 0.05), and the PTH levels in the SCASI group at 1 month after the operation were higher than those in the non-SCASI group (t = 2.141, P < 0.05). In addition, the proportion of transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism in the SCASI group was significantly decreased (χ ²  = 3.920, 3.948, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Total thyroidectomy requires high surgical precision, and SCASI can reduce the incidence of temporary and permanent hypoparathyroidism.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(© 2023 The Authors.)