Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2026
Generation of Hypoparathyroid Rats via Carbon-Nanoparticle-Assisted Parathyroidectomy
Published on: July 14, 2023
Radioguided parathyroidectomy in patients with secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism
Peter F Nichol1, Eberhard Mack, Jesus Bianco
1Department of Surgery, The University of Wisconsin Medical School, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA.
Background:
To date there have been no reports on the feasibility of radioguided parathyroidectomy (RGP) in patients with secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism.
Methods:
Twenty-three consecutive patients with secondary (n=5) or tertiary hyperparathyroidism (n=18) underwent RGP. Patients were injected with 10 mCi of technetium 99-sestamibi before surgery. All parathyroid glands were localized during operation with a neoprobe.
Results:
The mean patient age was 50+/-3 years. The mean preoperative calcium and intact parathyroid hormone levels were 11.0+/-0.3 mg/dL and 400+/-107 pg/mL, respectively. Eighteen patients had 3- or 4-gland hyperplasia, 2 had double adenomas, 2 had forearm graft hyperplasia, 1 had 6-gland disease, and 3 had ectopic glands. All hyperplastic glands had ex vivo counts >20% of background (mean, 63%+/-6%), making frozen section unnecessary. When compared with 66 historical control subjects who underwent surgery without radioguidance for tertiary hyperparathyroidism, patients undergoing RGP had decreased operative times (96+/-8 minutes vs 151+/-15 minutes; P<.001) and lengths of stay (1.3+/-0.1 days vs 3.7+/-0.3 days; P<.001).
Conclusions:
RGP in patients with secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism is feasible, may reduce operative time, and permits omission of frozen section. Thus RGP appears to be a useful adjunct in the treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism.
