Bilateral Neck Exploration May Not Reduce the Risk of Persistence but Shows a Perspective Advantage

There is still no consensus for an optimal surgical treatment of primary hyperpararthyroidism (PHPT). Virtually, most of the patients could be successfully treated with the selective parathyroidectomy (SPTE) based on preoperative visualization. However, this approach still has a “blind area” of undetected multiglandular disease (MGD). Bilateral neck exploration (BNE) may serve as a reasonable alternative but it meets the higher requirements for the surgical technique. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in order to reveal factors associated with the persistence of PHPT. 587 cases of PHPT patients who had received surgical treatment at SPSU Hospital in 2017–2018 were included. All the patients have at least one preoperative visualization study (neck ultrasound performed by a surgeon) before the operation. In 356 cases two studies were performed (additional 4D CT or MIBI scan) and 116 cases had all three. A surgeon was free to choose a type of the operation (selective or explorative) according to their strategic preferences. Bilateral neck exploration was performed in 160 cases. There was no difference in bilateral exploration rate (p = 0.3896) between the groups (with 1, 2 or 3 studies performed) indicating that the additional visualization does not allow to avoid bilateral exploration. MGD rate accounted for 7.4% (40 cases). It is important that any set of preoperative visualization modalities prove the absence of MGD reliably and select patients for SPTE precisely. Negative predictive value for different combinations of concordant studies (US+MIBI, US+CT and US+CT+MIBI) did not differ significantly and was 96.95%, 97.4% and 97.7% respectively. 26 cases of persistent disease were reported with no significant difference between BNE and SPTE groups. (6 vs 20 respectively, p = 0.792). A history of the thyroid or parathyroid operations was found to be the only factor predicting the higher risk of persistence (OR = 7.98; 95% CI [2.62 - 24.27]), while neither the number of parathyroid glands found during the surgery nor the number of preoperative visualization studies showed statistical significance. Only 47,5% cases of BNE was reported to have all four glands visualized. There rate of failure to found each gland was similar. Surprisingly, the superior parathyroid adenomas (P4) were more likely to be removed (chi-squared 10.378, p = 0.0006) but not in the cases with all four glands visualized intraoperatively (chi-squared 1.822, p = 0.0884). The true rate difference due to a hypothetical feature of parathyroid physiology seems to be not very likely. One may rather suggest than it is not an uncommon for a surgeon to identify a P3 gland as a P4 unless all for glands are visualized. This fact shows a perspective advanantage which may prevent some cases of persistence.

Simplified minimally invasive parathyroidectomy: a series of 100 cases and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION Conventional practice of parathyroidectomy has been collar incision with bilateral neck exploration and a four-gland evaluation. Our local practice involves simplified parathyroidectomy via mini-incision without routine use of intraoperative adjuncts. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that a good success rate can be achieved, which will hopefully encourage more to undertake minimally invasive parathyroid surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective case series of the first 100 patients undergoing minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) by a single surgeon at a single institution were included. Preoperatively, patients underwent ultrasonography (US) and/or a sestamibi (MIBI) scan for localisation. Parathyroidectomy was performed following an algorithm of intraoperative decisions. Serum calcium and/or parathyroid hormone levels were checked at follow-up. Postoperative normocalcaemia was considered success independent of serum parathyroid hormone levels RESULTS The patients had a median age of 63 years. Of the 100 patients, 83 were female and 17 male. Seven patients had a conversion to bilateral exploration. The mean operative time for unilateral and bilateral exploration was 42.38 minutes and 76.43 minutes respectively. Separately, a MIBI scan and US lateralised the side of the lesion in 82.8% and 79.5% of cases respectively. When US and the MIBI scan agreed, the predictive accuracy of the side of the lesion was 87.5%. The majority of patients (96%) had a successful return to normocalcaemia. No complications were encountered. CONCLUSIONS Excellent results are achievable with simplified MIP even without intraoperative adjuncts. Preoperative localisation is helpful in determining the side of incision. Our technique demonstrates a key principle of surgery: to keep things simple.

Can parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism be carried out as a day-case procedure?

Introduction: Surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism has traditionally involved a bilateral neck exploration performed as an in-patient procedure. We present a feasibility study to demonstrate whether, with a focused surgical exploration, the procedure can be carried out as a day case.Method: Eighty-seven patients had pre-operative sestamibi and ultrasound scans of the neck. When the results of these scans agreed, a unilateral neck exploration was carried out.Results: Sixty-seven patients received a focused approach parathyroidectomy. Ninety-seven per cent of these patients were normocalcaemic after the first operation. All patients who fitted the day-case criteria left hospital the following morning.Discussion: When pre-operative imaging results agree, a parathyroidectomy can be carried out using a unilateral neck exploration, avoiding the increased risks associated with a bilateral exploration.Conclusion: Parathyroidectomy can be safely carried out as a day-case procedure in selected patients.