posted by ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mylescorcoran at 01:03pm on 07/01/2007 under health, hospitals, hyperparathyroidism, kidney_stones, operations
mylescorcoran at 01:03pm on 07/01/2007 under health, hospitals, hyperparathyroidism, kidney_stones, operationsI'm off to hospital today for a scheduled parathyroidectomy (an operation to remove one or more of the parathyroid glands). The kidney stones I've had, twice in the last three years, appear to be caused by a hyperactive parathyroid gland. The parathyroid produces PTH (parathyroid hormone; doctors aren't imaginative about naming hormones), which regulates calcium levels in the blood. High levels of calcium have almost certainly caused the kidney stones.
So I'm having it out. Or rather one of the four glands in question if it proves to be just a single culprit. I spent some time yesterday on the Web looking at pages on parathyroidectomies (an example for the strong of stomach here, a FAQ here and the inevitable Wikipedia page here).
Summary: gory but with a good rate of success. Possibly an interesting scar I can later blame on a drug deal gone wrong or an overenthusiastic sabre duel with a rival in college.
So I'm having it out. Or rather one of the four glands in question if it proves to be just a single culprit. I spent some time yesterday on the Web looking at pages on parathyroidectomies (an example for the strong of stomach here, a FAQ here and the inevitable Wikipedia page here).
Summary: gory but with a good rate of success. Possibly an interesting scar I can later blame on a drug deal gone wrong or an overenthusiastic sabre duel with a rival in college.
There are 8 comments on this entry. (Reply.)