[Postoperative hypoparathyroidism: risk of complications]

For assessing the risk of adverse complications of surgery the group of 130 patients with post-operational hypoparathyroidism was analysed. Surgical hypoparathyroidism has been diagnosed in 51% of operated on thyroid gland patients. Laryngeal nerves have been damaged in 46.6% of patients. The injury to laryngeal nerves has been irreversible in 2/3 of patients, and reversible in the remaining 1/3. Cataract, nephrolithiasis and vitamin D3 intoxication have been observed in some cases before surgery. Their incidence increased in severe surgical hypoparathyroidism. Osteoporosis of the spine has been diagnosed in 49% of patients including some with vertebral fractures. No correlation between the degree of spine osteoporosis and diagnosis before surgery, number of operations on thyroid gland, and type of therapy has been noted. The symptoms of hypercalcemia have been diagnosed in 5 patients out of which hypercalcemia has been transient in 2 patients, and lasted for 1-5 months in the remaining 3 patients. The results of 7,873 analyses of mineral metabolism have been assessed. Hypocalcemia has been found in 38.4%, hypercalcemia in 1.6%, hypomagnesemia in 25.7%, hyperphosphatemia in 41.5%, decreased alkaline phosphatase serum activity in 28.7%, and hypercalciuria in 22.4% of cases. Surgical hypoparathyroidism is frequently accompanied by surgical hypothyroidism and injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerves.