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Updated: Dec 15, 2025

Two Techniques to Create Hypoparathyroid Mice: Parathyroidectomy Using GFP Glands and Diphtheria-Toxin-Mediated Parathyroid Ablation
Published on: March 14, 2017
Parathyroid gland hyperplasia associated with tuberculous granulomatous inflammation manifesting as primary
M Mayo-Yáñez1, F J Lage-Fernández2, L López-Solache3
1Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), 15006 A Coruña, Galicia, Spain; Clinical Research in Medicine, International Center for Doctorate and Advanced Studies (CIEDUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
Objectives:
Inflammatory disorders of the parathyroid gland are poorly defined. Only seven cases of granulomatous infection have been reported in the literature.
Patients And Methods:
A 68-year-old woman presented with parathyroid hormone level at 277pg/mL and calcium level at 10.8mg/dL, considered as primary hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroidectomy was performed, normalizing analytical values.
Results:
Normal-size gland with chief cell hyperplasia, focal pseudofollicular changes, and presence of epithelioid granulomas with Langhans giant cells and caseous necrosis areas, and a positive PCR for M. tuberculosis complex was identified. Chronic granulomatous inflammation could provoke a cascade of immune system activation, resulting in hyperplasia with the consequent increase in parathyroid function, and therefore primary hyperparathyroidism.
Conclusions:
In populations with a high incidence of tuberculosis, the coexistence of these pathologies must be kept in mind. This theory needs further biomolecular studies to be confirmed, but it provides a new perspective within the possible etiologies of hyperparathyroidism.
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