Minimally Invasive Parathyroidectomy: Are Auxiliary Methods Necessary?

Objective: To determine the success rate of minimally invasive parathyroidectomies (MIPs) with preoperative scintigraphy and ultrasonography, and to assess whether these imaging modalities are sufficient.

Study Design:  Observational study.

Place And Duration Of Study:   Department of General Surgery, University of Health Sciences, Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey between March 2017 and December 2019.

Methodology: Medical records of 61 patients, who underwent MIP to treat primary hyperparathyroidism, were examined. Age, gender, and pre- and postoperative calcium, parathormone, and phosphorus levels were obtained from patient records. For all patients, the parathyroid (PT) glands were localised, using ultrasonography and Tc-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) scintigraphy.

Results:  The average patient age was 56.89 ± 13.47 years. Of the patients, 83.6% (n = 51) were females. Localisation of the PT glands with preoperative scintigraphy had an accuracy rate of 100%. However, ultrasonographic localisation was unsuccessful in five patients. Adenomas were noted in 44 patients (72.1%), hyperplasia in 15 patients (24.6%), and neoplasia in two patients (3.3%). Serum parathormone and calcium levels were measured 24 hours after surgery, and were found to be significantly reduced compared to the corresponding preoperative levels (p <0.001). Hypocalcaemia developed in four patients (6.6%), two (3.3%) of which were symptomatic. After three months, persistent hyperparathyroidism developed in five patients (8.2%).

Conclusion: Parathyroid scintigraphy has been demonstrated to be the gold standard for the preoperative localisation of PT glands. In the absence of scintigraphy, ultrasound guidance is the next useful technique for PT gland localisation. Key Words: Minimal invasive parathyroidectomy, Parathyroid scintigraphy, Ultrasonography, Parathormone.