Vol.96 No.2 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 96 No. 2 February 2003
Storm-Like Symptoms after Thyroidectomy
for Hyperthyroidsm
Shinji Suzuki, Kazuhiko Shoji, Shin-ichi Takagita,
Yasutaka Kawata and Tomoko Tateya
(Tenri Hospital)
Between 1993 and 2001, 144 patients underwent subtotal or total thyroidectomy for hyperthyroidism (Grave's disease) in Tenri Hospital. Storm-like symptoms such as fever, tachycardia and nervousness were observed in 3 patients. All of them showed minor toxicity, and were treated by hydration, application of cold, intravenous hydrocortisone and oral b-blockers. Since the levels of thyroid hormones did not rise in these cases, we considered these post-operative complications were due to high-sensitivity against thyroid hormone. The likelihood of patients' weathering post-operative toxicities can be predicted retrospectively by their response to preoperative treatment. Patients who were difficult to control with low-grade fever and tachcardia suffered minor crises after subtotal-thyroidectomy.
Key words : storm, thyroidectomy, Grave's disease