[gatorgirly]

#1060217

I’m looking for some credible resources on the dangers of having elective surgery while hyperthyroid. A family member was just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism (not yet confirmed Graves’) and is scheduled for an unrelated, elective surgery on Monday. Neither she nor her primary care doctor nor surgeon seem at all concerned that her thyroid panel came back hyperthyroid on Monday. Her TSH is low, while T4 is normal and T3 was not checked.

I’ve encouraged her to request (I said “demand”) a full thyroid panel today and an emergency appointment with an endo tomorrow pending the results, but she is adamant that she would rather risk something happening in the OR than postpone back surgery she has been long awaiting.

Any links I could share with her would be much appreciated. I’m swamped with work and don’t have time to do research today.

[Kimberly]

#1181304

Hello – Here’s a piece from UpToDate that notes that nonthyroidal surgery can potentially trigger thyroid storm:

(Note on links: if you click directly on the following link, you will need to use your browser’s “back” button to return to the boards after viewing, or you will have to log back in to the forum. As an alternative, you can right-click the link and open it in a new tab or new window).

http://www.uptodate.com/contents/thyroid-storm

I believe the risk is more with elevated T3/T4 rather than suppressed TSH, but it would certainly be worth a quick blood test just to make sure T3 is normal, since that wasn’t tested!

[gatorgirly]

#1181302

Thanks Kimberly! This is EXACTLY what I was looking for.

[Author]

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