Evaluation of the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation therapy in cases with parathyroid adenoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Radiofrequency ablation of solitary parathyroid adenoma has been used to treat primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) in high-risk patients for parathyroidectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of radiofrequency ablation for treating pHPT in patients with parathyroid adenomas.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The sample for this retrospective study comprised all consecutive patients with solitary parathyroid adenoma treated with radiofrequency ablation between 2013 and 2021. Patients' baseline serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) values were obtained. The patients were followed up with serial biochemical measurements after the intervention, then at the first-week, first-month, third-month, sixth-month, and twelfth-month follow-ups. The study's primary outcome was a biochemical cure, defined as the reestablishment of normal serum calcium and PTH levels, persisting for at least 6 months after the ablation.

RESULTS

The changes in the serum calcium and PTH levels were significant (p < 0.05). The biochemical cure rate was 30.2% at 1 year. At the end of 1 year, the rate of patients with normal serum calcium levels was 86.6%, whereas the rate of patients with normal serum calcium and higher PTH levels was 55.8%.

CONCLUSION

Radiofrequency ablation of a solitary parathyroid adenoma may be considered an alternative treatment for pHPT, given that more than half of the cases investigated in this study had normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism at 1 year.