[Surgery under hypnosedation. A new therapeutic approach to hyperparathyroidism]

The elective unilateral approach, sometimes under local anaesthesia, offers many advantages in terms of less invasive and faster surgical approach compared to the conventional surgery under general anaesthesia. Nevertheless this approach is restricted to patients unsuspected of multiglandular disease, free from thyroid disease and for whom localization studies are contributive. Surgery under hypnosedation offers the same advantages and provides the possibility of not only exploring the four glands but also of performing a partial thyroidectomy if needed. In our experience 21 patients underwent a cervicotomy under hypnosedation for primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT). No conversion to general anaesthesia was needed; mean operative time was 52 +/- 16 min. In 17 cases, HPT was due to a single adenoma, in 3 cases to hyperplasia (among them a MEN-1 case), and in one last case to a double adenoma. The four glands were identified in 85%. With a follow-up running from 4 to 45 months, all patients are cured. Hypnosedation offers the same medical and economic advantages than the unilateral access under local anaesthesia. Moreover indications are not restricted to selected patients.