Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-6mz5d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-19T08:20:45.386Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Parathyroid ectopia: development of a surgical algorithm based on operative findings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2015

S Gunasekaran ,
H Wallace ,
C Snowden ,
D Mikl  and
R J A England
S Gunasekaran*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, UK
H Wallace
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, UK
C Snowden
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, UK
D Mikl
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, UK
R J A England
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr S Gunasekaran, Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Castle Road, Cottingham HU16 5JQ, UK E-mail: gunasek98@yahoo.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives:

To study the incidence of ectopic parathyroid adenomata from a single surgical series, and to devise a surgical algorithm from the results to follow when an adenoma cannot initially be located.

Methods:

A retrospective review was conducted of prospectively collected data. The study comprised all patients who underwent parathyroidectomy between June 2001 and February 2008 under the care of the senior author. A systematic surgical protocol was developed for locating ectopic superior and inferior parathyroid adenomata based on the order of incidence identified from the database.

Results:

Parathyroid ectopia occurs in approximately 10 per cent of hyperparathyroidism cases. It is more common in superior than inferior parathyroid glands. The most common superior location is the right retroesophageal position and the most common inferior location is within the left thymic remnant.

Conclusion:

Prospective data collection and subsequent analysis can be used to develop a systematic surgical protocol to aid the localisation of ectopic enlarged parathyroid glands in the surgical management of hyperparathyroidism.

Keywords

ParathyroidectomyEctopic Parathyroid GlandsAlgorithm

Information

Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 129 , Issue 11 , November 2015 , pp. 1115 - 1120
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1Peeler, BB, Martin, WH, Sandler, MP, Goldstein, RE. Sestamibi parathyroid scanning and preoperative localization studies for patients with recurrent/persistent hyperparathyroidism or significant comorbid conditions: development of an optimal localization strategy. Am Surg 1997;63:37–46Google ScholarPubMed
2Vail, AD, Coller, FC. The parathyroid glands: clinicopathologic correlation of parathyroid disease as found in 200 unselected autopsies. Mo Med 1967;64:234–8Google ScholarPubMed
3Kaplan, EL, Yashiro, T, Salti, GI. Primary hyperparathyroidism in the 1990s: choices of surgical procedures for this disease. Ann Surg 1992;215:300–17CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Ott, R, Lawrence, AM, Jorgensen, R, Calandra, D, Henkin, R, Barbato, A et al. Localization of ectopic parathyroid adenomas by the technetium-thallium subtraction scan. Am Surg 1985;51:344–8Google ScholarPubMed
5Randolph, GW, Urken, ML. Surgical management of primary hyperparathyroidism. In: Randolph, GW, ed. Surgery of the Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier, 2003;509–15Google Scholar
6Wang, CA. Parathyroid re-exploration: a clinical and pathological study in 112 cases. Ann Surg 1977;186:140–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Phitayakorn, R, McHenry, CR. Incidence and location of ectopic abnormal parathyroid glands. Am J Surg 2006;191:418–23CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed