A Case of Hungry Bone Syndrome following Thyroidectomy for Graves' Disease

A 25-year-old woman with a more than 16-month history of hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease visited to our clinic for surgical treatment. Due to hyperthyroidism, accelerated bone formation and resorption resulted in high turn-over bone loss. Total thyroidectomy without parathyroid resection was performed, because anti-thyroid agents thiamazole (MMI), propylthiouracil (PTU) failed to control thyroid function. After thyroidectomy, hypocalcemia appeared and persisted over 2 weeks despite normal parathyroid function. We considered this hypocalcemia in the early post-operative period was due to the pre operative state of the bone, and consider this to be a case of hungry bone syndrome.