Parathyroid surgery
Discharge instructions
This sheet goes over some common questions or concerns you or your family may
have. If you have additional questions, or don't understand something about your
operation, please call your surgeon.
Your incision

Your incision may be slightly red. This is normal. A small amount of
bruising is normal as well.

The area around your incision will be somewhat swollen. Over the next
weeks, you may begin to notice a healing "ridge" above and blow the
incision. This is also normal.

If your incision suddenly becomes more swollen, or if you have difficulty
breathing, please call your surgeon right away or go to the nearest
emergency room. This could be a sign of bleeding.

You may have thin paper strips ("steri-strips") across your incision. Your
surgeon will remove these at your next visit. If they fall off before then, it is
OK as long as your incision stays closed.

You should not see any drainage coming from your incision. If you do,
please call your surgeon.

Do not use any ointments on the incision for now. Ask your surgeon if it is
OK to use lotion after your next appointment.

Over the next 6-12 months, your incision will fade and become less
prominent.
Activity

You may have trouble moving your neck normally. This gets better in about
a week.

Plan on one or two weeks of rest as you recover from your surgery. Ask
your doctor when you may return to work. Most people return after 1-2
weeks.

Please do not drive until you can move your head normally and until you have
stopped taking strong pain medicine. For most patients, this is about one week
after surgery.

Some people have muscle spasms in the upper back or neck. It is important to try
to keep these muscles relaxed and to keep a normal posture. This may help reduce
spasms.

After 2 weeks, you may resume light exercise, such as golf or swimming. You
may return to all your usual activities 3-4 weeks after surgery.

You may get your incision wet the day after surgery. It is OK to shower, but do
not scrub your incision. Pat your incision dry when you are done. Sitting in a
Jacuzzi or soaking your incision is not recommended for 2-3 weeks after the
surgery.
Pain control

The area around your incision may feel sore. This is normal and should go away
in a short time.

You will be given prescriptions for pain medicine when you leave the hospital.
You should find that you will need less pain medication as time goes on.
How you may feel

You may feel weak or "washed out" for a few days. You might want to nap often
in the first few days.

You may have a sore throat or slight difficulty swallowing. If so, try eating soft
foods until the trouble with swallowing improves. This will get better within 1-2
weeks of your surgery.

All these feelings and reactions are normal and should go away in a short time. If
they do not, tell your surgeon.
Signs of low calcium

Parathyroid surgery can affect blood calcium levels. Your doctor may tell you to
take calcium or Vitamin D supplements to help prevent low blood calcium. Make
sure you understand how to take these medicines.

Signs of low calcium include numbness and tingling in the fingers or around the
mouth. Some patients have muscle cramps. These symptoms may mean you need
some extra calcium. If these occur, please take an extra dose of your calcium
medication and tell your doctor.
Your bowels

Constipation is a common side effect of medicine such as Percocet or codeine. If
needed, you can take a stool softener (such as Colace, one capsule) or gentle
laxative (such as Milk of Magnesia, 1 tablespoon) twice a day. You can get both
of these medicines without a prescription.

Increasing your fluid intake may also help.
Medications

Take all the medicines you were on before the operation just as you did before,
unless you have been told differently.

You may be asked to take some new medicines, such as calcium. Make sure you
understand how to take all the medicines that have been prescribed. If you have
any questions, please ask your nurse or doctor.
Call your doctor if…
Please call your surgeon if you develop any of
the following. In any emergency, please call
911 for help.

Sudden or gradual increase in
swelling around the neck

Difficulty breathing.

Numbness or tingling in the hands or around the mouth.

Muscle cramps.

Temperature of 101 degrees or higher.

Redness around the incision that is spreading.

The edges of the wound start to separate.

Any drainage coming from the wound
Follow-up care

You should return to see your surgeon in about 2 weeks. Please call your
surgeon's office to schedule your follow-up appointment at the number listed
above.
For more information, please visit our website at:
http://www.bidmc.harvard.edu/thyroidcenter
This material was prepared by clinicians from the departments of nursing and the Thyroid Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. It
is produced and distributed by The Beth Israel Deaconess Learning Center. ©2007, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. All rights reserved.
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