J Korean Surg Soc.
2000 Oct;59(4):539-544.
Radio-Guided Parathyroidectomy for Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Three cases
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of General Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 2Department of Nuclear Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
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Although primary hyperparathyroidism is a rare disease in Korea, the incidence is increasing gradually
due to increased concern and the development of laboratory and imaging techniques. Previous radiological
imaging studies for localization of a parathyroid adenoma have been generally unreliable. Recently,
preoperative administration of Tc-99m sestamibi has improved detection of parathyroid adenomas.
Combining preoperative administration of the sestamibi radionuclide with an intraoperative gamma probe
can identify the exact location of a parathyroid adenoma successfully and facilitate a safe and efficient
operation under local anesthesia. Limited exploration provides a better cosmetic result while decreasing
the potential complications of bilateral exploration. Also, an obvious indication for radio-guided para
thyroid surgery with a minimal approach may well be the high-risk patient who cannot tolerate a general
anesthestic or an extensive surgical approach. We report three cases of primary hyperparathyroidism
which were successfully treated with intraoperative radio-guided parathyroid surgery. These parathyroid
surgery can be enhanced especially in the future, when and if an efficient and cost-effective intraoperative
PTH assay becomes available.