Open AccessDelayed Post-Surgical Hypoparathyroidism: The Forgotten Chameleon!
Author(s) -
Sangita Kamath,
Balllamudi Srinivas Rao
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of clinical and diagnostic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2249-782X
pISSN - 0973-709X
DOI - 10.7860/jcdr/2017/23609.9260
Subject(s) - hypoparathyroidism , medicine , pathognomonic , thyroidectomy , thyroid , surgery , parathyroid hormone , parathyroidectomy , tetany , accidental , calcium , disease , acoustics , physics
Delayed hypoparathyroidism, due to accidental gland removal or ischemia of parathyroids can present many years after thyroidectomy and symptoms may be non-specific. This condition, if not diagnosed timely, may prove fatal and have serious consequences. Hence, clinicians must have a high index of suspicion to treat this condition. All patients with a history of previous thyroid surgery, who come with vague symptoms like fatigue, muscle aches should undergo estimation of serum calcium, phosphorus and Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) due to the lack of any pathognomonic features of hypoparathyroidism. We report a rare case of delayed post-surgical hypoparathyroidism who became symptomatic 15 years after thyroid surgery and remained so for another 10 years before the final diagnosis was established.