Objectively measured cognitive dysfunction in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism improves after parathyroidectomy.

Background: A relationship between primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and decreased quality of life has been shown using patient-reported outcome measures, including Pasieka's Parathyroid Assessment of Symptoms, SF-36, and PROMIS. Despite this, there remains a paucity of objectively measured data demonstrating cognitive dysfunction in patients with PHPT. We assessed whether parathyroidectomy resulted in quantifiable cognitive improvement.

Intraoperative Identification of Thyroid and Parathyroid Tissues During Human Endocrine Surgery Using the MasSpec Pen.

Importance: Intraoperative identification of tissues through gross inspection during thyroid and parathyroid surgery is challenging yet essential for preserving healthy tissue and improving outcomes for patients.

Objective: To evaluate the performance and clinical applicability of the MasSpec Pen (MSPen) technology for discriminating thyroid, parathyroid, and lymph node tissues intraoperatively.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this diagnostic/prognostic study, the MSPen was used to analyze 184 fresh-frozen thyroid, parathyroid, and lymph node tissues in the laboratory and translated to the operating room to enable in vivo and ex vivo tissue analysis by endocrine surgeons in 102 patients undergoing thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy procedures.

Association of DNA Promoter Methylation and Mutation in Thyroid Cancer.

The V600E mutation and DNA promoter methylation play important roles in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer (TC). However, the association of these genetic and epigenetic alterations is not clear. In this study, using paired tumor and surrounding normal tissue from the same patients, on a genome-wide scale we tried to identify (a) any association between mutation and DNA promoter methylation, and (b) if the molecular findings may provide a basis for therapeutic intervention.

Scarless Surgery: Clinical Indications for Transoral Endocrine Surgery and Implications for Pathologists.

Transoral endocrine surgery (TES) is a scarless approach to thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy for well-selected patients. Criteria for the TES approach to thyroidectomy include thyroid diameter less than or equal to 10 cm, benign nodule less than or equal to 6 cm, or confirmed or suspected malignant nodule less than or equal to 2 cm. Although fragmentation of surgical specimens has been reported in TES, additional studies are needed to evaluate the implications of TES on pathologic examination.

Clinical Translation and Evaluation of a Handheld and Biocompatible Mass Spectrometry Probe for Surgical Use.

Background: Intraoperative tissue analysis and identification are critical to guide surgical procedures and improve patient outcomes. Here, we describe the clinical translation and evaluation of the MasSpec Pen technology for molecular analysis of in vivo and freshly excised tissues in the operating room (OR).

Methods: An Orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with a MasSpec Pen interface was installed in an OR.

Public Perceptions of Transoral Endocrine Surgery and their Influence on Choice of Operative Approach.

Background: Transoral Endocrine Surgery (TES) represents an alternative to the open approach with no visible scar. Studies have shown TES has a safety profile similar to the open approach, but adoption has been limited. Public perception and preference for TES are factors associated with adoption that have not been explored.

Preferences for thyroidectomy technique: Comparing traditional and transoral approaches.

Background: We investigated preferences between the transcervical and transoral thyroidectomy approach in the United States and Israel.

Methods: An online survey assessing scar attitudes and surgical preferences, in English and Hebrew, was distributed on ThyCa.com and other platforms.

Current status of robotic adrenalectomy in the United States.

Since its introduction more than 30 years ago, laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become the gold standard approach to adrenal surgery for the majority of adrenal pathology. It has been shown to have superior clinical benefits to open adrenalectomy for the majority of cases of adrenal surgery. Robot-assisted adrenalectomy has also been shown to be a reasonable alternative approach to adrenal gland resection.

Localization of Parathyroid Disease in Reoperative Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism.

The localization of persistent or recurrent disease in reoperative patients with primary hyperparathyroidism presents challenges for radiologists and surgeons alike. In this article, we summarize the relevant imaging modalities, compare their accuracy in identifying reoperative disease, and outline their advantages and disadvantages. Accurate localization by preoperative imaging is a predictor of operative success, whereas negative or discordant preoperative imaging is a risk factor for operative failure.

Transoral endocrine surgery: Considerations for adopting a new technique.

Transoral endocrine surgery encompasses a group of operations whereby the thyroid or parathyroid gland is removed through the oral vestibule. This operation has the advantage of leaving no cutaneous scar and a risk profile similar to open surgery. Adoption of this technique has increased dramatically over the last several years.

Analytical Differences in Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Assays.

Background: We compared the rates of intraoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) decline using the Siemens Immulite Turbo PTH and Roche Elecsys short turnaround time PTH assays in 95 consecutive surgical patients to investigate analytical and turnaround time (TAT) differences between the tests performed in the operating room (OR) vs the central clinical chemistry laboratory (CCL).

Methods: Serial blood samples from 95 patients undergoing parathyroidectomy were collected and measured using the 2 immunoassays. Specimens from the first 15 patients were measured simultaneously in the OR and CCL and used for the TAT study.

The Importance of Family History in the Management of Endocrine Disease.

Family history is an essential component of the workup of endocrine surgery patients. The family history can change the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of endocrine patients. Here we discuss the importance of family history, review familial endocrine disorders, and develop a list of pertinent questions to ask when taking a family history of patients with endocrine disorders.

Patient Eligibility for Transoral Endocrine Surgery Procedures in the United States.

Importance: Transoral endocrine surgery (TES) allows thyroid and parathyroid operations to be performed without leaving any visible scar on the body. Controversy regarding the value of TES remains, in part owing to the common belief that TES is only applicable to a small, select group of patients. Knowledge of the overall applicability of these procedures is essential to understand the operation, as well as to decide the amount of effort and resources that should be allocated to further study the safety, efficacy, and value of these operations.

Failure to Diagnose and Treat Hyperparathyroidism Among Patients with Hypercalcemia: Opportunities for Intervention at the Patient and Physician Level to Increase Surgical Referral.

Background: Hyperparathyroidism is both underdiagnosed and undertreated, but the reasons for these deficiencies have not been described. The purpose of this study was to identify reasons for underdiagnosis and undertreatment of hyperparathyroidism that could be addressed by targeted interventions.

Materials And Methods: We identified 3,200 patients with hypercalcemia (serum calcium >10.

Clinical Outcomes After Unilateral Adrenalectomy for Primary Aldosteronism.

Importance: In addition to biochemical cure, clinical benefits after surgery for primary aldosteronism depend on the magnitude of decrease in blood pressure (BP) and use of antihypertensive medications with a subsequent decreased risk of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular morbidity and drug-induced adverse effects.

Objective: To evaluate the change in BP and use of antihypertensive medications within an international cohort of patients who recently underwent surgery for primary aldosteronism.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A cohort study was conducted across 16 referral medical centers in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Keeping primary aldosteronism in mind: Deficiencies in screening at-risk hypertensives.

Background: Primary aldosteronism is a common but underdiagnosed cause of hypertension. Patients with this disorder have worse morbidity compared with those with essential hypertension, but with timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention these patients are potentially cured and may have reversal of target organ damage. The goal of this study was to determine if hypertensive patients considered high risk were checked for primary aldosteronism.

Preoperative calcitriol reduces postoperative intravenous calcium requirements and length of stay in parathyroidectomy for renal-origin hyperparathyroidism.

Background: Patients undergoing subtotal parathyroidectomy for renal-origin hyperparathyroidism often develop postoperative hypocalcemia, requiring calcitriol and intravenous calcium (Postop-IVCa). We hypothesized that in subtotal parathyroidectomy for renal-origin hyperparathyroidism, preoperative calcitriol treatment reduces the use of postoperative administration of intravenous calcium.

Methods: A retrospective chart review compared subtotal parathyroidectomy for renal-origin hyperparathyroidism patients who received preoperative calcitriol treatment with those patietns who did not receive preoperative calcitriol treatment at one institution.

Large Cytologically Benign Thyroid Nodules Do Not Have High Rates of Malignancy or False-Negative Rates and Clinical Observation Should be Considered: A Meta-Analysis.

Management of large thyroid nodules is controversial, as data are conflicting regarding overall rates of malignancy (ROM) in all nodules and frequency of false-negative fine-needle aspiration results (FNR) in cytologically benign nodules. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate and compare ROM and FNR in small versus large nodules published in the literature. Articles indexed in PubMed, written in English, published electronically or in print on or prior to December 8 2017 were searched for "false negative thyroid size or cm" and "malignancy rates benign thyroid nodules.

Robot-Assisted Endocrine Surgery: Indications and Drawbacks.

Background: Over the last few decades, robotic surgery with the da Vinci system has become increasingly prevalent. Endocrine surgeons are witnessing a rapid growth in enthusiasm for robotic approaches for treating thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal disease. For carefully selected patients, the robotic system may be the preferred technique, although its use remains controversial and indications are in evolution.

Quality of life in thyroid cancer-assessment of physician perceptions.

Background: Thyroid cancer is the fastest growing malignancy in the United States. Previous studies have shown a decrease in quality of life (QoL) after the treatment of thyroid cancer. To date, there have been no studies assessing physician perceptions regarding how a diagnosis of thyroid cancer affects QoL.

An update in international trends in incidence rates of thyroid cancer, 1973-2007.

Purpose: Over the past several decades, there has been a reported increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer in many countries. We previously reported an increase in thyroid cancer incidence across continents between 1973 and 2002. Here, we provide an update on the international trends in thyroid cancer between 2003 and 2007.

Variation of Thyroidectomy-Specific Outcomes Among Hospitals and Their Association With Risk Adjustment and Hospital Performance.

Importance: Current surgical quality metrics might be insufficient to fully judge the quality of certain operations because they are not procedure specific. Hypocalcemia, recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury, and hematoma are considered to be the most relevant outcomes to measure after thyroidectomy. Whether these outcomes can be used as hospital quality metrics is unknown.

Development of the ThyCAT: A clinically useful computerized adaptive test to assess quality of life in thyroid cancer survivors.

Background: Current quality of life assessment tools for thyroid cancer survivors are not clinically useful due to the length of available questionnaires. Computerized adaptive tests are easily administered electronically and can achieve highly accurate and efficient results in minimal time. We aimed to develop a quality of life computerized adaptive tests (ThyCAT) for thyroid cancer survivors.