Hypoparathyroidism is a fairly common endocrine disorder, which is accompanied either by a decrease in the amount of parathyroid hormone, or by receptor immunity to it. In any case, such a disease is fraught with dangerous consequences. To date, the most commonly diagnosed postoperative hypoparathyroidism. According to statistics, quite often hormonal failure occurs precisely after a surgical operation on the neck.
Postoperative hypoparathyroidism and its main causes
As a rule, a decrease in the number of parathyroid hormones develops as a postoperative complication. The reason may be the surgical treatment of thyroid diseases, in particular its partial or complete removal in connection with cancer.
In some cases, parathyroid gland damage occurs during surgery. But most often, hypoparathyroidism develops in those cases when the main vessels supplying blood to these endocrine glands were damaged during the procedure. On the other hand, sometimes excision of the thyroid gland leads to the formation of fibrous tissues, which also violates the normal blood flow and trophic organs.
In any case, it should be understood that postoperative hypoparathyroidism is an extremely dangerous disease. The fact is that parathyroid hormone maintains a normal balance of calcium and phosphorus. With a decrease in its level, a decrease in the concentration of calcium and a simultaneous increase in the amount of phosphorus are observed.
Postoperative hypoparathyroidism: the main symptoms of the disease
In some cases, this disease is chronic and is accompanied by blurry, not too noticeable symptoms. Others have a latent form of the disease, which can only be determined during a complete examination of the body.
It's no secret that the balance of electrolytes is of great importance. And with a change in the concentration of calcium and phosphorus, a violation of the permeability of cell walls is observed . Postoperative hypoparathyroidism affects primarily the muscles and nervous system.
Muscle cramps are the main symptom of the disease. Such attacks, as a rule, occur several times a week, depending on the amount of parathyroid hormone in the blood. First, patients feel a tingling sensation in the skin, after which intense muscle contractions begin: the upper and lower limbs, as well as the muscles of the face, most often suffer .
It is worth noting that convulsive seizures can be observed in the internal organs. For example, with spasm of the muscles of the digestive tract, constipation and severe abdominal pain are observed. But with convulsions of the intercostal and diaphragmatic muscle fibers, shortness of breath and a violation of respiratory movements appear.
As the disease develops, the central nervous system is also affected, which is accompanied by mental disorders.
Postoperative hypoparathyroidism: treatment
Unfortunately, it is far from always possible to completely get rid of such a violation. Nevertheless, the prognosis for patients is favorable, since with the help of modern drugs, the appearance of seizures can be easily prevented.
In particular, anticonvulsants are used for prophylaxis. In some cases, patients are prescribed sedatives. In addition, it is necessary to take products containing calcium, as well as vitamin D. During an exacerbation, it is extremely important to adhere to an appropriate diet. The diet should consist of foods rich in calcium (milk, cottage cheese, eggs, cheese), but at the same time, foods containing phosphorus should be excluded.