Autotransplantation of human parathyroid glands

Six patients with primary hyperparathyroidism have had glands autotransplanted into their forearm or deltoid region immediately after presumed total parathyroidectomy. Five hyperplastic glands were transplanted; two patients are normocalcaemic, two are hypercalcaemic and one is hypocalcaemic. The one normal transplanted gland did not show any evidence of function. We conclude that immediate transplantation of parathyroid tissue following total parathyroidectomy may not be the procedure of choice.