Findings and long-term results of parathyroid surgery in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1

Forty-two patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) were evaluated a mean of 8.9 years after subtotal parathyroid resection (SPX, n = 34) or total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation to the forearm (TPX, n = 23). TPX as the primary operation revealed asymmetric and mainly nodular enlargement of the parathyroid glands with the presence of at least one normal-size gland in half of the individuals. TPX and SPX were accompanied by resolution of the hypercalcemia in 78% and 38% of the patients. Persistent and recurrent HPT occurred in 22% and 61% of the patients, while hypoparathyroidism requiring oral supplements occurred in 30% and 12% of the patients, respectively. Intact serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the arm of parathyroid autograft was high in the normocalcemic patients, somewhat lower in the patients with recurrent HPT, and normal to very low in the hypoparathyroid patients. Ratios of intact PTH between the grafted and non-grafted arms varied from 1 to 56.3, with average of 28.1 in the normocalcemic individuals, 8.2 in the patients with recurrent HPT, and 3.3 in those requiring supplements to maintain normocalcemia. These findings substantiate an 80% to 92% reversal of hypercalcemia during long-term follow-up of MEN-1 patients undergoing total parathyroidectomy or subtotal resection of 3-4 parathyroid glands as primary operative procedures and demonstrate the usefulness of intact serum PTH for functional evaluation of parathyroid autografts.