[Unicentre Results in Surgery of Primary Hyperparathyroidism with Postoperative Long-Term Follow-Up and Value of Intraoperative Quick Parathormone Test].

BACKGROUND

The increasing use of focussed parathyroidectomy is attributed to introduction of intraoperative parathyroid hormone measurement (ioPTH) and novel preoperative imaging techniques. This study assesses the early postoperative and long-term outcomes of surgery and the value of standardised ioPTH in patients undergoing surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT).

METHODS

From 01/01/1996 to 09/30/2011, all consecutive patients undergoing surgery for pHPT were documented. Data of this observational study were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were subdivided into 2 groups: A.) use of Quick Intraoperative Intact PTH Assay (n = 142; "ioPTH group") vs. B.) control group ("CG", n = 44). For clinical long-term follow-up, also pre- and postoperative signs, symptoms and findings of the initial 43 patients obtained during the first 4 years of the study were semiquantitatively compared.

RESULTS

186 consecutive operations for pHPT were performed - in particular, 73 sole parathyroidectomies; 113 combined thyroid and parathyroid resections. Mean operation time was 87 (SD ± 48) min for parathyroidectomy and 120 (SD ± 49) min for combined resections. A persisting hypercalcaemia was found in 16 patients (8.6%) while postoperative elevation of serum calcium and parathormone occurred in 7 patients (3.8%). Postoperative hypocalcaemia was present in 35 patients (18.8%). Differences between both groups regarding hypocalcaemia (p = 1.0), hypercalcaemia (p = 0.67), hyperparathyrinaemia (p = 0.12) and rate of reintervention (p = 0.055) were not significant. Thirty nine of the initial 43 patients reported one or more signs of pHPT (90.7%). Most frequent symptoms were nephrolithiasis (41.9%), back pain (51.2%), discomfort in the upper abdomen (41.9%), fatigue (41.9%) and general weakness (61.1%). Follow-up investigations (mean, 4.7 [range, 3.2-6.5] years) revealed that 65 % of patients reported improvement of general condition, 27% had no change and 8% reported deterioration.

CONCLUSIONS

IoPTH is now standard in parathyroid surgery. Value of ioPTH correlates directly with selected centre-specific intraoperative criteria. The stricter the criteria the more reliable is the exclusion of multiglandular disease. Surgery for pHPT was performed with a very low complication rate. Through the long-term follow-up, nearly two thirds of patients benefited from the operation.