Background: Recently, several devices exploiting the near-infrared autofluorescence (NIR-AF) of parathyroid glands (PGs) have been developed. Nevertheless, their impact on both preserving PGs from inadvertent surgical dissection and on post-surgical hypoparathyroidism (hypoPTH) is controversial.
Methods: A retrospective study of 845 patients undergoing thyroid surgery in 2 academic tertiary centres was conducted. In 291 patients, a NIR-AF device was used during surgery to identify PGs. The characteristics of the cohort were examined. The number of PGs identified during surgery, missed PGs, auto-transplants, inadvertent parathyroidectomies, as well as the occurrence of transient and permanent hypoPTH, were analysed.
Results: The use of NIR-AF device resulted in a higher identification of PGs (92% versus 88%, p = 0.0008), and a significant reduction in the number of PGs inadvertently removed and detected on histopathological examination (4.7% versus 6.5%, p = 0.045). An increase in PG auto-transplantations was observed in the NIR-AF + group (10.4% versus 3.5%, p < 0.0001). The use of NIRAF did not significantly impact the occurrence of either transient or permanent hypoPTH.
Conclusion: Intraoperative NIR-AF detection is a promising technology to reduce incidental parathyroidectomies in thyroid surgery. The impact of this technology on the occurrence of post-surgical hypoPTH needs to be furtherly investigated.
Keywords: Autofluorescence; Hypocalcemia; Near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF); Near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIFI); Thyroid surgery.
© 2025. Italian Society of Surgery (SIC).