Parathyroidectomy in the Treatment of Childhood Hyperparathyroidism: A Single-Institution Experience

Purpose: Hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is a condition marked by excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH), leading to disturbances in calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D metabolism. HPT is classified into primary (pHPT), secondary (sHPT), and tertiary (tHPT) types, which can cause systemic complications. Parathyroidectomy (PTX) remains the cornerstone treatment for pHPT and refractory cases of sHPT and tHPT. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 10 pediatric patients who underwent PTX for HPT at our clinic between 2016 and 2024. Demographic data, preoperative imaging, laboratory findings, surgical details, pathology reports, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Patients were categorized as having either pHPT (n = 6) or renal HPT (r-HPT; n = 4), which included one case of sHPT and three cases of tHPT. Results: The mean age of pHPT and r-HPT patients was 15 and 13 years, respectively. While 50% of pHPT patients were female, all r-HPT patients were female. Preoperative imaging localized parathyroid lesions using ultrasonography in all cases, but Sestamibi scintigraphy had a lower detection rate (66.7%). Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy was performed in single-gland pHPT cases, while bilateral neck exploration was used for multiglandular pHPT and all r-HPT cases. No intraoperative complications were observed. Postoperatively, all patients demonstrated normalized calcium, phosphate, and PTH levels with significant symptomatic improvement. Hungry bone syndrome developed in one r-HPT patient and was managed successfully. No recurrences were noted during an average follow-up of 39 months. Conclusions: PTX is a safe and effective treatment for pediatric HPT, providing excellent biochemical and clinical outcomes. Multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial in managing pediatric cases, particularly those with complex renal HPT.