TY - JOUR
T1 - The management of post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia
AU - Szubin, Lisa
AU - Kacker, Ashutosh
AU - Kakani, Rajesh
AU - Komisar, Arnold
AU - Blaugrund, Stanley
PY - 1996/9
Y1 - 1996/9
N2 - Postoperative hypocalcemia was studied in 40 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for a malignancy or massive goiter. Parameters evaluated included serum calcium, phosphate and magnesium levels. All patients exhibited a postoperative decline in serum calcium, however, the lowest serum calcium level was not seen until 48 hours after surgery. Serum calcium levels returned to normal in five to six days after surgery in 37 patients. Five patients required calcium supplementation for either symptomatic hypocalcemia or serum calcium levels lower than 7.0 mg/dl. Only three of these five patients were discharged home on oral calcium supplements. In this series, we discovered that the critical period for monitoring of serum calcium was 24 to 96 hours after surgery. If serum calcium replacement was not needed in the first 72 hours after surgery, it would not be needed during the remainder of the patient's hospital course. In addition, we found that serum magnesium levels should also be monitored in the postoperative period and corrected if low.
AB - Postoperative hypocalcemia was studied in 40 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for a malignancy or massive goiter. Parameters evaluated included serum calcium, phosphate and magnesium levels. All patients exhibited a postoperative decline in serum calcium, however, the lowest serum calcium level was not seen until 48 hours after surgery. Serum calcium levels returned to normal in five to six days after surgery in 37 patients. Five patients required calcium supplementation for either symptomatic hypocalcemia or serum calcium levels lower than 7.0 mg/dl. Only three of these five patients were discharged home on oral calcium supplements. In this series, we discovered that the critical period for monitoring of serum calcium was 24 to 96 hours after surgery. If serum calcium replacement was not needed in the first 72 hours after surgery, it would not be needed during the remainder of the patient's hospital course. In addition, we found that serum magnesium levels should also be monitored in the postoperative period and corrected if low.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0029833290&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/014556139607500910
DO - 10.1177/014556139607500910
M3 - Article
C2 - 8870367
AN - SCOPUS:0029833290
SN - 0145-5613
VL - 75
SP - 612
EP - 616
JO - Ear, Nose and Throat Journal
JF - Ear, Nose and Throat Journal
IS - 9
ER -