Surgical management strategies in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism: which technique in which patients?

Objective: This study was planned to investigate the efficacy of either 99mTc-sestamibi scan or ultrasonography in predicting the operative treatment in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).

Subjects And Method: Thirty patients (25 female, 5 male; mean age: 53 years) being operated for symptomatic primary PHPT were included in this study. Ultrasonography was used in 29 patients while 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy was done in 28 patients to localize the hyperfunctioning gland(s). Standard bilateral neck exploration was done in 6 patients. Although unilateral intervention had been planned for 24 patients, bilateral intervention was performed in 9 of them.

Results: Sensitivity of 99mTc-sestamibi was 81%, while that of ultrasonography was 42%. 99mTc-sestamibi localization method led to misleading results in 10/28 (35.7%) patients. False-positive localization and accompanying thyroid pathologies played an important role in determining transition from unilateral to bilateral intervention.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that bilateral intervention remains a successful management option without prior localization in patients with PHPT especially in an endemic goiter region.