INTRODUCTION Techniques for thyroidectomy have evolved remarkably over the past 150 years. This is currently considered to be a very safe operation with favorable results when performed by experienced surgeons. 1 Hypocalcemia as a result of hypoparathyroidism is the most common postoperative complication of thyroidectomy. Hypoparathyroidism is considered to be transient if recovery occurs within days, weeks or a few months; or permanent when calcium levels do not return to normal within six months after surgery. 2,3 Transient hypoparathyroidism is seen in 0.3 to 49% of the patients undergoing thyroidectomy, whereas permanent hypoparathyroidism is less likely and has been reported in up to 13% of the cases. 4-8 The established risk factors for hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy are advanced age, female sex, size of the thyroid gland, substernal goiter, Graves' disease, surgical technique (de-vascularization, excision or other inadvertent damage of the parathyroid glands), central compartment dissection, reoperation, less experienced surgeon and low 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum levels in the preoperative period. 9-18 Most thyroid surgeons provide calcium supplementation based on postoperative calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH) serum levels, or presence of symptoms, whereas others routinely prescribe calcium and vitamin D supplementation after thyroidectomy to prevent hypocalcemia symptoms. 12,13,19 In a randomized study involving 143 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy, it