Protection and management of parathyroid glands in level VI compartment dissection        ZHANG Hao. Department of General Surgery, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
Abstract    Level VI compartment dissection is the risk factor of parathyroid glands injury. Therefore, knowledge of the techniques protecting parathyroid glands is important to master for any surgeon who manages level VI compartment dissection. In-depth knowledge of the anatomical relations and vascular supply, identification by eyes and blood supplies protection of parathyroid glands, are important for preventing parathyroid glands injury in level VI compartment dissection. The superior parathyroid glands should be functionally left in situ through meticulous dissection without jeopardizing their blood supplies. The inferior parathyroid glands may have to be resected and reimplanted. At the completion of the surgery, viability of the parathyroid glands should be assessed and if there is any question, and reimplantation should be performed after the confirmation of frozen section analysis. The preservation of parathyroid glands should be more remarked in some cases including bilateral level VI compartment dissection, reoperation, thyroid carcinoma with extrathyroid invision, with Hashimoto’s disease and hyperthyroidism.