Removal of autografted parathyroid tissue for recurrent renal hyperparathyroidism in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Recurrent renal hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is a serious problem after parathyroidectomy (PTx). We evaluated the frequency of graft-dependent recurrent HPT and the clinical outcomes after removal of the autograft.

Methods: Between March 1980 and January 2009, 2660 patients underwent total PTx with forearm autograft.

Surgical and medical treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients on continuous dialysis.

Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidsm (2HPT) is a common complication in hemodialysis patients associated with morbidity and sometimes mortality. The majority of patients with 2HPT can be managed by medical treatment. However, medical treatment does not always provide control of parathyroid disorder.

Parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism in the era of calcimimetics.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is one of the major complications experienced by patients with renal failure. Cinacalcet hydrochloride, a calcimimetic, is a new modality for the treatment of SHPT and is able to suppress a high parathyroid hormone level remarkably well. However, for patients with uncontrollable SHPT while on cinacalcet, those with severe SHPT symptoms and those with difficulty being treated with cinacalcet because of side-effects, parathyroidectomy (PTx) may be indicated as usual.

Relationship between the dimension of parathyroid glands estimated by ultrasonography and the hyperplastic pattern in patients with renal hyperparathyroidism.

In renal hyperparathyroidism (HPT), the parathyroid glands initially proliferate diffusely and polyclonally, and are then transformed to monoclonal nodular hyperplasia with aggressive growth potential. In this study we evaluated the relationship between the maximal dimension of parathyroid glands estimated by ultrasonography (US) and the hyperplastic pattern of parathyroid glands in patients with renal HPT. Between October 1999 and December 2006, 141 patients who underwent total parathyroidectomy (PTx) with forearm autograft in our department were enrolled in this study.

Modified laparoscopic splenectomy: a beneficial technique for ABO-incompatible living donor renal transplantation candidates on hemodialysis.

Advances in laparoscopy have enabled minimally invasive surgical treatment of splenic diseases. Even with these advances, laparoscopic splenectomy in patients on dialysis can be difficult because of tissue fragility due to the underlying renal disease. We report a safe surgical technique for laparoscopic splenectomy in patients on maintenance dialysis that is suitable for use before ABO-incompatible living donor renal transplantation (LDRTx).

Incidence of parathyroid glands located in thymus in patients with renal hyperparathyroidism.

Background: Parathyroid glands are frequently located in thymus, and it is essential to resect thymic tissue from the neck incision, especially in surgery for renal hyperparathyroidism (HPT).

Methods: In this study, we evaluated the incidence, location, and type of intrathymic parathyroid glands in 902 patients who underwent initial parathyroidectomy (PTx) for advanced renal HPT in our department. Removal of the thymic tongues on both sides was routinely performed from the neck incision, and the thymic tissue was carefully examined both macroscopically and microscopically.

Expression of parafibromin in distant metastatic parathyroid tumors in patients with advanced secondary hyperparathyroidism due to chronic kidney disease.

Background: Recently, somatic inactivating mutations in HRPT2 have been reported in the majority of sporadic parathyroid carcinoma in primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT). Parafibromin is a tumor suppressor protein encoded by HRPT2, and loss of nuclear expression of parafibromin was found in approximately 70% of the carcinoma. In secondary HPT due to chronic kidney disease (CKD), parathyroid carcinoma is very rare and whether HRPT2 plays a role in the carcinogenesis in these cases is not clear.

QuiCk-IntraOperative Bio-Intact PTH assay at parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Background: In uremic patients, metabolism of 1-84 parathyroid hormone (PTH) and fragments are delayed, and in these patients, the usefulness of intraoperative PTH assay may be problematic. We evaluated the usefulness of the QuiCk-IntraOperative Bio-Intact PTH (QPTH) assay for uremic patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism who required total parathyroidectomy (PTx) with forearm autograft. The purpose of our study was to recognize whether QPTH in uremic patients was useful to determine during operation whether complete PTx had been achieved.

Recurrent renal hyperparathyroidism caused by parathyromatosis.

Background: Parathyromatosis is defined as multiple foci of benign hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue in the neck or mediastinum. Parathyromatosis is a problematic cause of recurrent hyperparathyroidism (HPT). In renal HPT, the stimuli of the parathyroid cells persist after parathyroidectomy (PTx), and for this reason, parathyromatosis might be important in renal HPT.

Surgical significance of undescended parathyroid gland in renal hyperparathyroidism.

Background: In renal hyperparathyroidism, in which basically all parathyroid glands are hyperplastic, overlooking one undescended parathyroid gland becomes important.

Methods: Between July 1973 and December 2004, 1750 patients in our department underwent parathyroidectomy for severely advanced renal hyperparathyroidism. We evaluated the frequency and location of undescended parathyroid glands and the clinical findings and the prognosis of patients with such glands.

[Two patients with hyperparathyroidism which was progressive for more than ten years after successful kidney transplantation].

It is well known that in some patients advanced renal hyperparathyroidism (HPT) persists after successful kidney transplantation (RTx) and in those patients parathyroidectomy is required usually within one year after RTx. We experienced two patients with advanced renal HPT which released after successful RTx and parathyroidectomy was performed in more than 10 years after RTx, even their kidney function was well-preserved. Hypercalcemia was gradually progressive for ten years after RTx and enlarged parathyroid glands were detected by image diagnosis.

Calciphylaxis: a rare complication of patients who required parathyroidectomy for advanced renal hyperparathyroidism.

Calciphylaxis is a relatively rare but life-threatening complication in uremic patients. Clinical findings and prognosis were evaluated in six patients who developed calciphylaxis from a group of 1499 patients who underwent parathyroidectomy (PTx) for advanced renal hyperparathyroidism (HPT) in our department from July 1972 to July 2003. The frequency of calciphylaxis was 0.