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February 10, 2012

Parathyroidectomy (cont.)

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When should patients contact their doctor?

Patients should contact their doctor if they notice:

  1. A sudden increase in the amount of bruising and pain associated with excessive swelling of the neck and difficulty breathing.
  1. A fever greater than 101.5 degrees F that persists despite increasing the amount of fluid they drink and acetaminophen (Tylenol). (A person with a fever should try to drink approximately one cup of fluid each waking hour.)
  1. Drainage from the wound.
  1. Spasms or severe cramps in the muscles or twitching of the face. If this occurs, patients should call their surgeon immediately and be ready to have their blood calcium level determined.

Last Editorial Review: 5/28/2004



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  • Related Diseases & Conditions

    • Hyperparathyroidism
      • Hyperparathyroidism is a disorder of the parathyroid glands. There are two types of hyperparathyroidism, primary and secondary. When the parathyroid glands produce too much hormone, hyperparathyroidism is the resulting condition. Most cases of hyperparathyroidism have no evident cause. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, depression, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or confusion. Increased calcium and phosphorous excretion may cause kidney stones. The main treatment of hyperparathyroidism is parathyroidectomy.
    • Hypoparathyroidism
      • In hypoparathyroidism, the parathyroid gland does not produce enough parathyroid hormone. Causes of hypoparathyroidism include injury to the parathyroid glands, autoimmune disorder association, or may be present ab birth. Symptoms of hypoparathyroidism include: tingling fingers, toes, and lips, brittle nails, dry, coarse skin, dry hair; memory loss, headaches, severe muscle cramps, cataracts, malformed teeth, and convulsions. Treatment of hypoparathyroidism is to restore the calcium and phosphorus to normal levels in the body.
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