Limited role for intraoperative intact PTH measurement in parathyroid surgery

Primary hyperparathyroidism may be cured surgically by complete excision of abnormal parathyroid tissue. Reoperation for persistent hypercalcaemia due to residual abnormal parathyroid tissue may be associated with a high complication rate. It is possible to assay intact parathormone (iPTH) intraoperatively and as iPTH has a relatively short half-life, its measurement intraoperatively may be used to predict successful parathyroidectomy. We have studied intraoperative iPTH levels in a consecutive series of 33 patients undergoing surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism. We found that iPTH levels fell significantly (P < 0.05) from a median pre-excision level of 122 pg/ml to a median level of 36 pg/ml 20 min after excision. However, in 3/31 successful parathyroidectomies, the intraoperative iPTH levels either remained unchanged or had risen. Reliance on intraoperative iPTH levels in these patients may have resulted in unnecessary re-exploration. We conclude that intraoperative iPTH measurement has limited usefulness as a predictor of successful parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism.