A pregnant dilemma: primary hyperparathyroidism due to parathyromatosis in pregnancy

To describe an exceedingly rare case of parathyromatosis in pregnancy and the limited medical treatment options available for such cases that are refractory to surgery.

Case presentation and description of clinical course with brief review of the literature.

A 21-year-old woman with a history of 3.5 gland parathyroidectomy presented with severe hyperemesis during her first trimester of pregnancy and was found to have primary hyperparathyroidism attributable to parathyromatosis. We describe the diagnostic and management dilemmas associated with this case, which included localization of the culprit lesions, a technically challenging surgical resection and subsequent medical management with cinacalcet when symptomatic hypercalcemia recurred during the third trimester. To our knowledge, this is only the third report of the successful use of cinacalcet during pregnancy, and the first case report of parathyromatosis presenting during pregnancy.

Cinacalcet was used safely and effectively during the third trimester of pregnancy to treat symptomatic hypercalcemia due to parathyromatosis.