Abstract
It has been shown by several investigators that preoperative administration of viosterol or irradiation, which presumably accomplishes the same ultimate result, will protect dogs to some extent against parathyroid tetany. Attempts to apply this method in the treatment of human postoperative tetany have not been so successful.
The successful administration of viosterol intravenously to normal dogs in this laboratory suggested the trial of this method clinically.
A woman, age 57, underwent a thyroidectomy and developed severe tetany within 2 days. During the next 6 months, the only treatment which consistently kept her free from tetany was calcium lactate by mouth with parathormone 2 or 3 times a week. Of the first she required approximately 115 gm. daily. Even this treatment, while maintaining her free from tetany did not render her normal. Full details of her clinical condition will be reported later.
After preliminary observations, viosterol was injected intravenously in 0.5 cc. amounts of 8000 D preparation in oil. No injurious effects were noted as a result of oil emboli. (Several hundred such injections have been made by Reed and Thacker 1 in dogs.)
We recognize the limitations in drawing conclusions from one case but the fact remains that for a period of 15 days the patient was kept free from tetany by the administration of a total of 2.5 cc. of 8000 D viosterol plus 20 gm. Ca lactate. Her general improvement is very striking. It is suggested that the failure of others to accomplish results clinically is due to the use of too small amounts of viosterol. The results of oral administration will be reported in full with other details.
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