The nurse's assessment of a patient after a thyroidectomy reveals muscle twitching and tingling, along with numbness in the fingers, toes, and mouth area. The nurse should suspect what complication?
A) Tetany
B) Hemorrhage
C) Thyroid storm
D) Laryngeal nerve damage
Ans: A
Feedback: Tetany may result if the parathyroid glands are excised or damaged during thyroid surgery. Hemorrhage is a potential complication after thyroid surgery but is characterized by tachycardia, hypotension, frequent swallowing, feeling of fullness at the incision site, choking, and bleeding. Thyroid storm is another term for severe hyperthyroidism, not a complication of thyroidectomy. Laryngeal nerve damage may occur postoperatively, but its signs include a hoarse voice and, possibly, acute airway obstruction.
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