[Surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism in 1998. Apropos of 66 patients and 3 methods of approach]

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the advantages and disadvantages of cervicotomy, selective lateral approach and video-assisted surgery in the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT 1).

During 1998, 66 patients were operated on for HPT 1 in the same center. There were 48 women and 18 men (mean age: 58 years, range: 21-84), familial HPT 1 or MEN1 excluded. The interventions were performed via classical cervicotomy (n = 32), via selective lateral approach (n = 8) and were video-assisted (n = 25). A mediastinal adenoma was removed via cervicotomy and another one via left thoracoscopy. The procedure was associated with intraoperative parathormone (PTH) quick-assay. Calcium testing was controlled before leaving the hospital and 2 months later.

A double adenoma and 65 single adenomas were confirmed by pathological report. Circulating PTH levels, 20 minutes after removal of the adenoma, always decreased significantly. In video-assisted procedures, there were 11 conversions to open cervicotomy (44%) and morbidity consisted of one case of laryngeal nerve paralysis. At the end of the study, all patients except one had a normal calcium level.

Video-assisted parathyroidectomy is feasible but requires a preoperative localisation of the adenoma and intraoperative PTH quick-assay. Its main benefit in cervical adenoma is to reduce the scar and in mediastinal adenoma to avoid sternotomy. With the elective approach, results are similar to those of video-assisted surgery and the procedure is much easier to perform. Classical cervicotomy is still the best option in case of previous cervicotomy, of simultaneous thyroidectomy, of negative preoperative imaging and in elderly patients less concerned about cosmetic benefit.