ObjectiveTo explore the clinical significance of detecting serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and drainage fluid parathyroid hormone (dPTH) after thyroidectomy in forecasting parathyroid function.MethodsThe clinical data of 95 thyroidectomy patients in the same treatment group from March 2018 to September 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, which in the Department of Thyroid-Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University. According to the surgical method, the patients were divided into 3 groups: isthmus and unilateral thyroidectomy (partial resection group, n=33), total thyroidectomy (total resection group, n=33) and total thyroidectomy and central lymph node excision (radical resection group, n=29). The negative pressure drainage tube was placed in the operative area. The iPTH and serum calcium were detected before and the first day after operation. The dPTH was detected in the first day and the second day after operation. Serum calcium, iPTH and dPTH were statistically analyzed.ResultsThere were no significant differences in operative time, hospital stay and blood loss between the total resection group and the radical resection group (P>0.05), but the partial resection group were all less than the other two groups (P<0.01). On the first day after operation, the iPTH in the three groups were lower than that before operation, and the iPTH was significantly decreased in the total resection group and the radical resection group, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The dPTH in the three groups were significantly increased on the first and second day after operation (P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between the three groups (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in serum calcium between the three groups on the first day after operation (P>0.05).ConclusionsThe levels of iPTH, dPTH and serum calcium after thyroidectomy can comprehensively forecast the parathyroid function. Preventive calcium supplementation can reduce the occurrence of postoperative symptomatic hypocalcemia, which is conducive to the recovery of parathyroid function.