TUMORS OF THE PARATHYROID GLAND

Abstract

During recent years the parathyroid glands have come into rather special prominence owing to their apparent functional connection with calcium metabolism and tetany. In consequence, parathyroid tumors, instead of being pathologic curiosities, have assumed a more important clinical role. I have recently observed two cases of these fairly rare tumors, but before giving the details I will give a short synopsis of the present clinical aspects of the parathyroids and their pathology. The parathyroids were first accurately described in 1880 by Sandstrom, 1 who apparently, however, held the view that they were undeveloped embryonic thyroid tissue. In 1898, Gley 2 showed that tetany following parathyroidectomy did not occur unless the external parathyroids were removed, although they were still considered as part of the thyroid gland. The parathyroids may be intrathyroid or extrathyroid. According to Guleke 3 the human parathyroid may occur in three types: (1) the compact type, as seen