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RecruitingNCT07416149Updated Feb 17, 2026

Comparing PTeye-assisted Versus Conventional Total Thyroidectomy

An interventional study of PTeye™ parathyroid detection system in Hypocalcemia, Parathyroid and Hypoparathyroidism Post-surgical, sponsored by The University of Hong Kong. Recruiting at 1 site in Hong Kong. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-17.

Sponsored by The University of Hong Kong · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
210
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether PTeye™ can reduce post-operative hypoparathyroidism (PH). The study will enroll consecutive patients undergoing total thyroidectomy in a teritary endocrine surgery unit in Hong Kong, randomizing them into receiving conventional surgery versus PTeye™-assisted surgery. Subjects will be assigned to the two groups before surgery. Subjects will be under medical care as in usual practice.

Read the detailed description

Post-operative hypoparathyroidism (PH) is a debilitating complication following total thyroidectomy. It arises from inadvertent removal or devascularization of the parathyroid glands. From a previous study in Hong Kong and other population-wide series, permanent PH rates could be as high as 11%, and transient PH rates being 30-48%, posing substantial burden on healthcare systems.

Near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) technology has emerged to assist the identification and preservation of parathyroid glands during surgery. This study investigates the probe-based NIRAF device, PTeye™, which emits laser and receives NIR real-time, thereby detecting parathyroid glands by a simple touch of a probe.

A standardized protocol is devised to use PTeye™ for parathyroid identification at the early stage of surgery, in order to avoid devascularization or inadvertent removal of the parathyroids.

This is a prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether PTeye™ can reduce PH. The study will enroll consecutive patients undergoing total thyroidectomy in a tertiary endocrine surgery unit in Hong Kong. Patients will be randomized to receive conventional surgery or PTeye™-assisted surgery.

02

Conditions studied

  • Hypocalcemia
  • Parathyroid
  • Hypoparathyroidism Post-surgical
  • Total Thyroidectomy

Keywords

  • Thyroidectomy
  • calcium
  • hypocalcemia
  • post operation
  • hypoparathyroidism
  • PTeye™ parathyroid detection system
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Adult patients ≥18 years of age
  • Undergoing total thyroidectomy, or completion total thyroidectomy
  • Pre-operative serum adjusted calcium levels within normal ranges

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients on pre-operative calcium or vitamin D supplements
  • Patients with pre-operative vitamin D deficiency, defined as serum vitamin D\<30nmol/L
  • Patients with untreated primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism
  • Patient with known non-surgical hypoparathyroidism diseases
  • Patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate \<30ml/1.73m2/min, on dialysis, or having a history of kidney transplant
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Care provider)
Enrollment
210 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Total thyroidectomy with the PTeye™ parathyroid detection system

    PTeye™ assisted total thyroidectomy. PTeye will be used to identify the parathyroid glands early in the course of surgery.

    Device: PTeye™ parathyroid detection system

  • No intervention
    Conventional total thyroidectomy

    Total thyroidectomy without PTeye™

Interventions

  • DevicePTeye™ parathyroid detection system

    The PTeye™ parathyroid detection system is an adjunctive tool to aid in the identification of visually suspected parathyroid tissue as granted by DEN17005.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Rate of significant post-operative hypoparathyroidism (SPH) after total thyroidectomy (in %)

    Rate of significant post-operative hypoparathyroidism (SPH) after total thyroidectomy (in %)

    Time frame: 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Rate of inadvertent parathyroidectomy (in %)

    Rate of inadvertent parathyroidectomy (in %)

    Time frame: within 4 weeks from operation

  2. Rate of parathyroid auto-transplantation (in %)

    Rate of parathyroid auto-transplantation (in %)

    Time frame: within operation

  3. Day 0 PTH

    Day 0 Post-operative serum parathyroid hormone levels (pmol/L)

    Time frame: Post-operative Day 0

  4. Day 1 Post-operative serum parathyroid hormone levels (pmol/L)

    Day 1 Post-operative serum parathyroid hormone levels (pmol/L)

    Time frame: Post-operative Day 1

  5. 3-month Post-operative serum parathyroid hormone levels (pmol/L)

    3-month Post-operative serum parathyroid hormone levels (pmol/L)

    Time frame: Post-operative 3 months

  6. 6-month Post-operative serum parathyroid hormone levels (pmol/L)

    6-month Post-operative serum parathyroid hormone levels

    Time frame: Post-operative 6 months

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Queen Mary Hospital
    Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Hospital Authority HK Surgical Outcomes Monitoring & Improvement Programme (SOMIP) Report 2022-2023. 15:
  • Hospital Authority HK Surgical Outcomes Monitoring & Improvement Programme (SOMIP) Report 2021-2022. 14:
  • Lui DTW, Fung MMH, Lee CH, Fong CHY, Woo YC, Lang BHH. A territory-wide assessment of the incidence of persistent hypoparathyroidism after elective thyroid surgery and its impact on new fracture risk over time. Surgery. 2021 Nov;170(5):1369-1375. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2021.05.004. Epub 2021 Jun 8. PubMed 34116859 ↗
  • Edafe O, Antakia R, Laskar N, Uttley L, Balasubramanian SP. Systematic review and meta-analysis of predictors of post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia. Br J Surg. 2014 Mar;101(4):307-20. doi: 10.1002/bjs.9384. Epub 2014 Jan 9. PubMed 24402815 ↗
  • Payne RB, Little AJ, Williams RB, Milner JR. Interpretation of serum calcium in patients with abnormal serum proteins. Br Med J. 1973 Dec 15;4(5893):643-6. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5893.643. PubMed 4758544 ↗
  • Solorzano CC, Thomas G, Baregamian N, Mahadevan-Jansen A. Detecting the Near Infrared Autofluorescence of the Human Parathyroid: Hype or Opportunity? Ann Surg. 2020 Dec;272(6):973-985. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000003700. PubMed 31804401 ↗
  • Benmiloud F, Rebaudet S, Varoquaux A, Penaranda G, Bannier M, Denizot A. Impact of autofluorescence-based identification of parathyroids during total thyroidectomy on postoperative hypocalcemia: a before and after controlled study. Surgery. 2018 Jan;163(1):23-30. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2017.06.022. Epub 2017 Nov 6. PubMed 29122325 ↗
  • Dip F, Falco J, Verna S, Prunello M, Loccisano M, Quadri P, White K, Rosenthal R. Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing White Light with Near-Infrared Autofluorescence for Parathyroid Gland Identification During Total Thyroidectomy. J Am Coll Surg. 2019 May;228(5):744-751. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2018.12.044. Epub 2019 Jan 31. PubMed 30710614 ↗
  • Benmiloud F, Godiris-Petit G, Gras R, Gillot JC, Turrin N, Penaranda G, Noullet S, Chereau N, Gaudart J, Chiche L, Rebaudet S. Association of Autofluorescence-Based Detection of the Parathyroid Glands During Total Thyroidectomy With Postoperative Hypocalcemia Risk: Results of the PARAFLUO Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Surg. 2020 Feb 1;155(2):106-112. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2019.4613. PubMed 31693081 ↗
  • DiMarco A, Chotalia R, Bloxham R, McIntyre C, Tolley N, Palazzo FF. Does fluoroscopy prevent inadvertent parathyroidectomy in thyroid surgery? Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2019 Sep;101(7):508-513. doi: 10.1308/rcsann.2019.0065. Epub 2019 Jul 15. PubMed 31305127 ↗
  • McWade MA, Sanders ME, Broome JT, Solorzano CC, Mahadevan-Jansen A. Establishing the clinical utility of autofluorescence spectroscopy for parathyroid detection. Surgery. 2016 Jan;159(1):193-202. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2015.06.047. Epub 2015 Oct 9. PubMed 26454675 ↗
  • Paras C, Keller M, White L, Phay J, Mahadevan-Jansen A. Near-infrared autofluorescence for the detection of parathyroid glands. J Biomed Opt. 2011 Jun;16(6):067012. doi: 10.1117/1.3583571. PubMed 21721833 ↗
  • Manatakis DK, Balalis D, Soulou VN, Korkolis DP, Plataniotis G, Gontikakis E. Incidental Parathyroidectomy during Total Thyroidectomy: Risk Factors and Consequences. Int J Endocrinol. 2016;2016:7825305. doi: 10.1155/2016/7825305. Epub 2016 Aug 18. PubMed 27635137 ↗
  • Luk Y, Fung MMH, Lui DTW, Liu X, Li L, Wong CKH, Lang BHH. Long-term kidney outcomes in patients with permanent hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy for benign disease: A population-based study. Surgery. 2024 Sep;176(3):700-707. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2024.05.005. Epub 2024 Jun 15. PubMed 38880699 ↗
  • Ivanovic-Zuvic D, Chelebifski S, Uribe B, Quintana C, Dominguez JM, Olmos R, Florenzano P. Impaired Quality of Life in Patients with Post-Surgical Hypoparathyroidism. J Bone Metab. 2024 May;31(2):140-149. doi: 10.11005/jbm.2024.31.2.140. Epub 2024 May 31. PubMed 38886971 ↗
  • Hillary SL, Chooi JE, Wadsley J, Newell-Price JD, Brown NJ, Balasubramanian SP. Quality of Life in Post-Surgical Hypoparathyroidism (PoSH) in Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery. World J Surg. 2022 Dec;46(12):3025-3033. doi: 10.1007/s00268-022-06730-7. Epub 2022 Oct 2. PubMed 36184675 ↗
  • Buttner M, Singer S, Taylor K. Quality of life in patients with hypoparathyroidism receiving standard treatment: an updated systematic review. Endocrine. 2024 Jul;85(1):80-90. doi: 10.1007/s12020-024-03807-2. Epub 2024 Apr 5. PubMed 38578400 ↗
  • Pasieka JL, Wentworth K, Yeo CT, Cremers S, Dempster D, Fukumoto S, Goswami R, Houillier P, Levine MA, Pasternak JD, Perrier ND, Sitges-Serra A, Shoback DM. Etiology and Pathophysiology of Hypoparathyroidism: A Narrative Review. J Bone Miner Res. 2022 Dec;37(12):2586-2601. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.4714. Epub 2022 Nov 23. PubMed 36153665 ↗
  • Jorgensen CU, Homoe P, Dahl M, Hitz MF. Postoperative Chronic Hypoparathyroidism and Quality of Life After Total Thyroidectomy. JBMR Plus. 2021 Mar 16;5(4):e10479. doi: 10.1002/jbm4.10479. eCollection 2021 Apr. PubMed 33869995 ↗
  • Frey S, Figueres L, Pattou F, Le Bras M, Caillard C, Mathonnet M, Hamy A, Brunaud L, Lifante JC, Tresallet C, Sebag F, Menegaux F, Blanchard C, Leroy M, Mirallie E; Qol-Hypopara Study Group. Impact of Permanent Post-thyroidectomy Hypoparathyroidism on Self-evaluation of Quality of Life and Voice: Results From the National QoL-Hypopara Study. Ann Surg. 2021 Nov 1;274(5):851-858. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005129. PubMed 34353986 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07416149
Lead sponsor
The University of Hong Kong
Responsible party
Man Him Matrix Fung (Clinical Assistant Professor, The University of Hong Kong) — Principal investigator
First posted
Feb 17, 2026
Start date
Sep 16, 2025
Primary completion
Oct 31, 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2028 (estimated)
Last update
Feb 17, 2026

Study contacts

Man Him, Matrix Fung, MBBS
Contact
mmhfung@hku.hk
+852 2255 4232

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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