[Non-surgical treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism]

Hypercalcaemia was found in a 54-year-old woman suffering from dystrophia myotonica. The diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism was made. The patient was not considered to be a suitable candidate for surgery. Therefore she underwent ultrasonically guided infiltration of the causative adenoma with 2.8 ml alcohol 95% in three sessions. After this treatment the serum calcium level returned to normal. There were no complications. The possibility of alcohol ablation of adenomatously enlarged parathyroidal glands should be considered in otherwise inoperable patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, on the condition that the adenoma can be visualised ultrasonographically.