title: [Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The correlation between hypocalcemia and total thyroidectomy could be correlated to the influence practice from the TSH hormone on the thyroid C cells, in fact in conditions of hyperthyroidism the low values of the thyrotropin is correlated to a reduction of the plasmatic concentration of calcitonin and consequently of calcemia. of our study is verify the incidence of the hypocalcemia post-tyroidectomy and appraise the effectiveness of the pharmacological treatment with calcium salts and possibly D vitamin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the 432 operated patients, 348 has stayed subjected to total thyroidectomy and 84 to loboistmusectomy. In none case subjected to emityroidectomy has been verified a hypocalcemia in the post-operative and in 67 cases in which we have administered pre-operative calcium salts orally, calcemia has sustained within acceptable values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our experience only 1'11.2% of the patients subjected to total thyroidectomy they have presented a reduction of the calcemia to the of under of the 7.10 mg/dl and they have stayed subjected medical therapy with calcium salts in ev in the symptomatic forms, and to oral therapy in patients absent symptoms, while in two cases is not been practiced any therapy because the symptomatology has disappeared spontaneously
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Syndrome hypocalcemica has determined from the deficit-also transitory-parathyroid glands, from the action of the calcitonin (it favors the amassing of the calcium in to bon), and from a reduced bony reserve of calcium. In fact in those patients operated for a euthyroid goitre or for thyroid tumor the saving of the parathyroid glands avoids the outbreak of hypocalcemia (7, 8). Therefore the physio-pathological mechanism responsible of symptoms (excluded the medical causes: pharmacological treatments with steroid, oral conraceptives, diuretics, salts of lithium, oral antacid and diazepam) (9) also not being still of the all known, it would have his primum movens in the parathyroid glands ischemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The precocious evaluation of the calcemia in the period post-operative is useful to discern the patients that will require of a pharmacological treatment of support, so that avoid of the serious and permanent damages to the varied organs.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Catania, P.O.U. Garibaldi-Catania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.forename: L A M
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Arcerito
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cannizzaro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*