Therapeutic surgical removal of the thyroid gland was documented more than 1000 years ago. In the 19th century, a surgeon performing that procedure had only about 50% patient survival, and patient death was often unrelated to nonspecific complications such as infection or bleeding. What condition of the thyroid is so easily diagnosed that ancient surgeons would think to remove it? What hormonal
problem unrelated to thyroid hormones may account for the 50% mortality of thyroidectomy patients in the 19th century (and probably throughout history)? Why didn't the surgeons anticipate this problem? Why wasn't the mortality closer to 100%?
What will be an ideal response?
Goiters develop from lack of iodine in the diet or from Graves' disease, producing an obvious enlargement in the
neck. Loss of parathyroid hormone following thyroidectomy with inadvertent parathyroidectomy caused death in
patients due to lack of calcium for excitable cells such as heart and nerve cells. The role of the parathyroid glands
was not fully understood in the 19th century. Mortality was not 100% because the amount of parathyroid tissue
varies in individuals, and some had parathyroid tissue that was not removed by thyroidectomy.
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A) teres major B) subscapularis C) teres minor D) infraspinatus E) supraspinatus
Hypophysiotropic-hormone secretion by the hypothalamus is regulated only by hormonal negative feedback
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
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Answer the following statement true (T) or false (F)
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