Undetected hypoparathyroidism: An unusual cause of perioperative morbidity

Routine investigation of serum calcium is not recommended in ASA one and two patients unless abnormalities of calcium metabolism are clinically suspected. The clinical features of hypocalcaemia can often be subtle and may manifest in the presence of associated factors. Hypoparathyroidism, an importa...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ashish Chakravarty, Saurabh Anand, Harsh Sapra, Yatin Mehta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Anaesthesia
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijaweb.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5049;year=2014;volume=58;issue=4;spage=470;epage=472;aulast=Chakravarty
Description
Summary:Routine investigation of serum calcium is not recommended in ASA one and two patients unless abnormalities of calcium metabolism are clinically suspected. The clinical features of hypocalcaemia can often be subtle and may manifest in the presence of associated factors. Hypoparathyroidism, an important cause of hypocalcaemia, often presents as soft tissue calcification (ostosis). Ligamentum flavum ostosis can present with compressive myelopathy requiring laminectomy. We report a case of ligamentum flavum ostosis and subclinical hypocalcaemia due to hypoparathyroidism, who went undetected pre-operatively resulting in significant post-operative morbidity.
ISSN:0019-5049