ICG Fluorescent Parathyroid Assessment Following Total Thyroidectomy

Raffaele Rocco, MD

Product Details
Product ID: ACS-6096
Year Produced: 2020
Length: 6 min.


Hypoparathyroidism is the most common complication after a total or near total thyroidectomy. Most patients recover function within weeks. However, between 1-6.5% can have permanent hypoparathyroidism. Intraoperative assessment of parathyroid viability is mainly based on visual inspection. Some surgeons may use intraoperative PTH or sharp parathyroidotomy to assess for bleeding. Intraoperative indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) is a novelmethod of assessing parathyroid viability. It can more accurately identify parathyroid glands needing autotransplantation then other methods. ICGA parathyroid assessment also correlates with postoperative PTH levels. A video presentation of the ICGA technique and how to assess the parathyroid glands will be an invaluable adjunct to the published literature. A 30 year old female underwent near total thyroidectomy with central compartment lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid cancer. On visual inspection all 4 parathyroid glands appeared well- vascularized. She then received 3 mL of ICG (2.5mg/mL) through a peripheral IV followed by a 10 mL saline flush. Approximately 2-3 minutes after administration, the parathyroid vascularity was evaluated using PINPOINT endoscopic fluorescence camera and graded as none (0), intermediate (1) or normal (2). For this patient, the right superior gland was well vascularized with a score of 2; the right inferior gland was an intermediate with a score of 1. The administration of ICG was repeated using the same technique for the contralateral side. The left superior was of intermediate with a score of 1 and the left inferior was well vascularized with a score of 2.