CCRN Nursing Exam Prep - Adult Critical Care

Answer - B - Respiratory obstruction, hemorrhage, tetany, and laryngeal nerve injury are the major complications following thyroid surgery. Hypocalcemia, not hypercalcemia (Choice A), is a complication resulting from damage to the parathyroid glands during surgery. Serum T₄ will be decreased or absent, not elevated (Choice C), and the client will need replacement therapy because no thyroid hormone is secreted once the total thyroid gland is removed. Choice D is not related to thyroidectomy.