title: Immediate post-parathyroidectomy stridor resolved with intravenous calcium.
abstract: A 73-year-old woman underwent an uncomplicated focused parathyroidectomy for an adenoma. Immediately after extubation she developed respiratory distress and her airway became compromised. No obvious cause could be found for the stridor and no response was obtained from nebulised adrenaline (norepinephrine). An intravenous bolus of calcium provided immediate but temporary relief. Lasting relief was obtained following the administration of an intravenous calcium infusion. Serology later confirmed a small decrease in calcium concentrations but at the time of the respiratory compromise the values were still within normal range.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of North Durham, Department of General Surgery, North Road, Durham DH1 5TW, UK.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harold
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bremner
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatti