Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Kanimozhi underwent a procedure to remove a parathyroid gland at a private hospital on Friday.
According to a release issued by her family, she needed a procedure to remove a gland. “She is doing fine and will return home in a couple of days.”
Parathyroid glands ensure that the calcium levels are maintained at normal levels in the blood. When calcium levels exceed the required limit, it causes hyperthyroidism.
Excess of calcium, or hypercalcemia, can produce recurrent kidney stones and gastrointestinal problem. It can also lead to fractures, says endocrinologist S. Vittal.
With better gadgetry and technological support, we are able to detect before it produces the symptoms. Routine detection of the condition is on the rise, he said.
Curable malady
“It is a curable malady. There are four parathyroids and removal of one gland will not cause any problem. The diagnosis and treatment of parathyroid has been around for the two decades now. When hypercalcemia or increased calcium level is detected, you have to investigate to rule out parathyroidism,” he says.
