Severe Hypocalcemia Leading to Trousseau's Sign
Hypocalcemia is a common complication post-total thyroidectomy. This case report of a young woman with a rare finding on a physical examination highlights the need for patient education, routine laboratory work, and follow-up post-total thyroidectomy. Hypocalcemia is an electrolyte abnormality with numerous causes including chronic kidney disease, vitamin D deficiency, rhabdomyolysis, medications, and hyperventilation. In this report, we discuss the complications and management of hypocalcemia associated with total thyroidectomy. Significant complications include the lifelong need for T4, hypocalcemia, and recurrent and superior laryngeal nerve injuries. The study concludes with the importance of careful primary care follow-ups, medication adherence, and education in postoperative management.
Authors
- Teresa Burke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8093-9912)
- Damián Casadesús (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5273-2228)
- Cesar M Almanza
- Logan C Hager
Institutions
- Jackson Memorial Hospital (US)
- American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (SX)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cureus
- Published
- 2025-03-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.80401
- Primary Topic
- Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00