A 40-year-old male with Becker muscular dystrophy presented with severe
mitral regurgitation and underwent mitral valve repair. Following the
surgery, the patient became tachycardic, and developed a continuous high
grade-fever and hyperbilirubinemia. The patient's condition worsened and
we eventually tested his thyroid levels and discovered abnormally high
thyroid levels. After diagnosing a severe thyroid storm, the patient was
treated with oral administration of Lugol's iodine and thiamazole, as
well as an intravenous steroid, which led to an immediate improvement of
symptoms. The incidence of thyroid storm after open-heart surgery is
extremely rare but highly life-threatening if unrecognized.