Autotransplantation of parathyroid tissue into sternocleidomastoid muscle

Four cases of secondary hyperparathyroidism were treated by total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation into the sternocleidomastoid muscle. These total parathyroidectomy patients are presented to demonstrate the reliability of parathyroid autotransplantation into the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Our technique is described in detail, and all procedures were successful. In one case, the patient was found, in retrospect, to have an adenoma in the transplanted parathyroid tissue. When the patient developed graft-dependent hypercalcemia, a portion of the graft was easily excised under local anesthesia and the patient became normocalcemic. Parathyroid tissue should be transplanted into the sternocleidomastoid muscle rather than other sites because of easy accessibility, one operative site, less graft ischemia, a low incidence of infection, and a high success rate due to excellent blood supply.