Clinical Experience in Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Oh, Seung Keun; Cho, Hang Jun; Suh, Kyung Suk

Abstract

Eighteen patients with primary hyperparathyroidism were treated by one of the authors (SKO) from 1981 through 1988 at the Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital and the data were analyzed retrospectively. Eighteen patients comprised 6 males and 12 females, with the male to female ratio of 1 to 2. The age distribution was between 18 and 64 years. The chief complaints were associated with skeletal symptoms in 9 urinary symptoms in 5, and neurologic manifestation in 1 patient. There were 3 patients with asymptomatic hypercalcemia. All patients showed hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia was found in 11 patients. Serum PTH level was elevated in 13 cases. performing preoperative localization with computed tomorgam, ultrasonogram and thallium-technetium subtraction scan, positive localization was made in 62.5% (10/16), 53.8% (7/13) and 85.7% (12/14), respectively. one patient, angiography and selective venous sampling were peformed and positive localization was made. All patients were treated by surgery. There were 17 patients with solitary adenoma and one with double tumors. Pathologic findings revealed adenoma of the parathyroid in all patients except one which was proved later to be carcinoma. There were no recurrent cases except one with carcinoma. There were no postoperative complications. primary hyperparathyroidism is a very rare disease in Korea. Causes of primary hyperparathyroidism in our study was confined to tumors of the parathyroid, such as adenoma and carcinoma.There was no hyperplasia causing primary hyperparathyroidism. Thallium-technetium subtraction scan was proved to be the best method for localization of the parathyroid tumors Excision of the tumor with involved parathyroid followed by frozen-section biopsy of the univolved parathyroid was the best way to treat primary hyperparathyroidism in our study.