[Intrathyroidal parathyroidal adenoma associated to a cold thyroidal nodule (author's transl)]

Parathyroid adenomas may have ectopic localizations, for example, intrathyroidal, which diagnosis is difficult. The present report illustrates this fact. A patient, 45 years old, euthyroidal, with a cold thyroidal nodule, underwent a right thyroidal lobectomy. Immediately after the operation, a tetany crisis occured with a Chovstek's sign and a 65 mg/l blood calcium level. The possibility of an accidental parathyroidectomy was evoked, and a second histological exam of the tumor showed the presence of a trabecular parathyroidal adenoma in the back of a vesicular thyroidal adenoma. The presence of this parathyroidal adenoma should have been suspected because of the occurence of nephretics colics in the antecedents, but there was a high blood uric acid level and the diagnosis of uric concretion was retained; no dosage of blood calcium level has been done.