Primary hyperparathyroidism due to mediastinal parathyroid adenoma

Of the 90 cases of primary hyperparathyroidism surgically treated in our department over the last decade (1975-1985), ten cases had a mediastinal parathyroidal adenoma. In only two of these patients was a median sternotomy required for excision of the mediastinal adenoma. Three of the ten patients underwent the initial operation in other institutions, having undergone a previous neck exploration. There were seven males and three females, ages ranging from 41-68 years. Six patients had nephrolithiasis, four had both renal stones and bone disease and two had peptic ulcer disease. One of them was operated on as an emergency because of hyperparathyroidism crisis with calcium levels of 15/16 mg%. Four patients were asymptomatic and had hypercalcemia detected by SMA screening. The calcium level ranged from 11.5-16.2 mg%. The phosphorus ranged from 1.6-2.8 mg% with a mean of 2.0 mg%. All ten patients had plasma PTH determination by radioimmunoassay, the values ranged from 1.5-3 times normal. In seven of the ten cases, the mediastinal parathyroid adenoma was localized within the thymus, the other three were adjacent to the great vessels, two to the aortic arch and one to the pulmonary artery-size ranging from 1.2-5.4 cm. Preoperative localization techniques: venous sampling in four cases; technetium scanning in three cases. No preoperative localization techniques were used in the other three cases. There was no mortality nor other significant postoperative complications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)