Persistent recalcitrant hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy : a management challenge

Abstract

Hypocalcemia is the most common complication following total thyroidectomy and could be due to direct injury or ischemic damage to parathyroid glands during surgery. Hypocalcemia adds significantly to hospital stay and cost of hospitalisation. While there are numerous proposed treatment algorithms for post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia, there are no universally accepted standard guidelines or treatment algorithms available. We present a case of prolonged recalcitrant hypocalcemia post-total thyroidectomy, requiring hospitalisation for more than a month, to illustrate the practical problems we faced during management of this patient.