[Cryopreservation of parathyroid tissue: evaluation of a simplified method]

A simplified, less expensive cryopreservation technique for parathyroid tissue was examined in animal study and on human tissue in vitro. More than 3/4 of all replantations in the rat were successful after cryopreservation. After replantation of one single gland only 1/3 of all animals attained normal parathyroid function. This fact shows the importance of the quantity of transplanted viable tissue. Viability of human parathyroid tissue after cryopreservation was 80-90%. The PTH-production of human parathyroid tissue in vitro after cryopreservation and the suppressibility in different calcium concentrations were similar to normal fresh tissue. All our results prove a good functioning of this simplified cryopreservation method.