[Reoperations in persistent and recurrent secondary hyperparathyroidism]

Forty-seven reoperations for persistent or recurrent secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) in 29 patients are reported. The patients are part of a group of 181 patients operated on for secondary HPT between 1975 to 1986. Most reoperations were performed in the neck (26 operations in 17 patients). The main cause were remaining parathyroid glands in the mediastinum (9 patients), followed by normally localized glands in the neck, which had not been discovered during previous operations. In 7 patients a hyperplasia of the autografted tissue was the reason for recurrent disease. They were treated by resection of the autograft. In 10 other patients autologous cryopreserved parathyroid tissue was reimplanted because of persistent postoperative hypoparathyroidism.