Incidence Of Multiglandular Disease Research Articles

Normocalcemic Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Preoperative Localization and Incidence of Multiglandular Disease

Normocalcemic Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Preoperative Localization and Incidence of Multiglandular Disease

Surgical Approach and Outcomes in Patients with Lithium-Associated Hyperparathyroidism

Patients receiving lithium therapy are at elevated risk of developing hyperparathyroidism. In lithium-associated hyperparathyroidism (LAH), the incidence of multiglandular disease (MGD) is unclear, and the need for routine bilateral cervical exploration remains controversial. Therefore, in LAH patients, surgical approaches, pathologic findings, cure rates, and factors associated with persistent or recurrent disease were investigated. Retrospective analysis of 27 patients with LAH undergoing parathyroidectomy with the intraoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) assay. The median postoperative follow-up was 7 months; 17 patients had >6 months follow-up. Cervical exploration was unilateral in 9, bilateral in 18 (3 were converted from unilateral). Sixteen patients (62%) had MGD, 12 with four-gland hyperplasia and 4 with double adenomas. Ten patients (38%) had a single adenoma. Twenty-five (93%) of 27 patients had initially successful surgery. Of the 17 patients with >6 months follow-up, two had persistent disease and two experienced recurrent disease. All patients with a single adenoma remain free of disease. Three (75%) of four patients with persistent/recurrent disease had MGD and were receiving lithium at the time of surgery. Patients with persistent/recurrent disease were older (p = 0.01) and had experienced a longer duration of hypercalcemia (p = 0.04). LAH patients have a high incidence of MGD, and bilateral exploration is frequently necessary. With access to the intraoperative PTH assay, it is reasonable to initiate a unilateral approach because many patients will harbor single adenomas and can be reliably rendered normocalcemic. Patients with MGD remain at higher risk of persistent/recurrent disease.

Consequences of parathyroidectomy in patients with “mild” sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism

The use of a targeted, less-invasive approach is changing the operative indications in sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism (SPHPT). Now, patients with "mild" HPT are offered parathyroidectomy. However, the operative findings and outcome of these patients are unknown. This study reports the differences between "mild" and "classic" biochemical SPHPT in incidence of multiglandular disease (MGD) and operative outcome. All 343 patients underwent parathyroidectomy guided by intraoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) monitoring (IPM). Among them, 301 patients (88%) had "classic" biochemical SPHPT (hypercalcemia and increased PTH) and 42 patients (12%) had "mild" HPT, which consisted of 28 patients with inappropriate secretion of PTH (ISP-hypercalcemia and normal PTH), and 14 patients with normocalcemic HPT (NCHPT-eucalcemia and increased PTH). Single or MGD was determined by IPM. Operative success is eucalcemia for greater than or equal to 6 months after operation and along with normal PTH levels in NCHPT. Thirty nine of 301 patients (13%) with "classic" biochemical SPHPT had MGD with an operative failure rate of 1% (3/301). In the "mild" HPT group, 14 of 42 patients (33%) had MGD with a failure rate of 5% (2/42). The incidence of MGD was statistically significant (P < .001). The incidence of MGD and operative failure are higher in patients with "mild" HPT when compared with classic SPHPT. Patients and surgeons should be aware of these consequences when parathyroidectomy is offered to patients with "mild" HPT.

Incidence of multiglandular disease in primary hyperparathyroidism determined by parathyroid hormone secretion

Successful parathyroidectomy depends on recognition and excision of all hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands. Because histologic definition is limited, multiglandular disease (MGD) is usually determined grossly by means of estimation of gland size and the experience of the surgeon, resulting in frequency varying from 8% to 33%. Normalization of elevated intraoperative intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels after excision of all hyperfunctioning glands is necessary for postoperative normocalcemia and indicates normal secretion of remaining parathyroids. Abnormal hormone secretion measured during operation has been used to define the extent of excision and the incidence of MGD. One hundred ten consecutive parathyroidectomy patients with no previous neck surgery or history of multiple endocrine neoplasia had intraoperative iPTH assays performed before and after excision of any suspected abnormal parathyroid gland(s). A drop in iPTH level after gland excision predicted postoperative normal calcium levels. All patients except one had normalization of serum calcium levels (average follow-up, 15 months). One hundred five patients had only one hyperfunctioning gland removed, and all have remained normocalcemic. Five (5%) patients had more than one gland involved: four had two or more hyperfunctioning parathyroids and one patient, who had a large parathyroid cyst removed, remained hypercalcemic. By using a biochemical assay, instead of estimated size, to predict which parathyroid glands are hypersecreting, the incidence of MGD in primary hyperparathyroidism was found to be 5%.