Hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy commonly manifests in: (A) 1 day, (B) 2-5 days, (C) After a week, (D) After a month
Answer is B. Parathyroid insufficiency after thyroidectomyThis is due to removal of the parathyroid glands or infarction through damage to the parathyroid end aery; often, both factors occur together. Vascular injury is probably far more impoant than inadveent removal. The incidence of permanent hypoparathyroidism should be less than 1 per cent and most cases present dramatically 2-5 days after operation but, veryrarely, the onset is delayed for 2-3 weeks or if a patient with marked hypocalcaemia is asymptomatic.