Parathyroid Surgery
There are four parathyroid glands located at the back of the thyroid. These glands control the amount of calcium in our bodies, which is necessary for our nervous and muscular systems to function normally. If the calcium level drops even just by a notch, the parathyroid glands immediately release a hormone called the parathyroid hormone (PTH) which makes the bones release calcium into the bloodstream. If the calcium level is high enough, the parathyroid gland stops the production of PTH, thus stopping the release of calcium.
Hyperparathyroidism with Parathyroid Surgery
If a parathyroid gland goes bad, the patient usually goes through a condition known as hyperparathyroidism, which is the excessive production of PTH. If high levels of parathyroid hormones are produced, there would be an unnecessary increase in the level of calcium. More than 90 percent of the patients diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism only have one affected gland. The condition starts with the development of a benign tumor in one of the parathyroid glands. This affected gland, called a parathyroid adenoma, enlarges up to about a size of a walnut or an olive, and sometimes up to as large as a golf ball. As this gland continues to grow, it produces more PTH, consequently making the patient’s condition worse (high levels of calcium may destroy body tissues, lack of calcium in the bones causes osteoporosis, etc).
Multiple adenomas
Patients with two or three affected glands (multiple adenomas) make up only about 3% of all patients with hyperparathyroidism. If all four parathyroid glands are affected, the condition is now termed as a parathyroid hyperplasia and this occurs in 5% of all patients.
Treating hyperparathyroidism through surgery
The only way to treat hyperparathyroidism is through surgery. The standard operation begins by making an incision about six to ten inches on one side of the neck. The surgeon then finds the four glands situated behind the thyroid, pinpoints the adenoma, and then takes it out. The other three normal glands are left to function properly. As for the case of multiple adenomas, the operation remains the same. But if the patient is having parathyroid hyperplasia, the surgeon would remove three or three and a half of the affected glands, leaving some parathyroid tissues behind to continue its function.
Minimally Invasive Parathyroid Surgery
Before choosing to undergo any parathyroid operation, one has to check first if he can go through the minimally invasive parathyroid operation. About 98 percent of endocrinologists say that they prefer the minimally invasive procedure than the standard operation. For one, they do not have to make very long incisions if they only have to take out one adenoma; usually, an incision of one inch or less would do. Also, the operation would take only 20 to 25 minutes, and the patient wouldn’t need to stay in the hospital overnight after the.
Procedure costs significantly less
Another advantage is that the procedure costs significantly less compared to the standard procedure and the cure rate is also significantly higher. There is also less pain on the part of the patient.
Where the adenoma is located
First, the surgeon should know where the adenoma is located. This is made possible by the Sestamibi scan, which identifies the affected gland and its position through a radioactive dye. Once its position is known, twilight anesthesia is then used on the patient. The surgeon can now make a small incision on the patient’s neck and can now start finding the radioactive gland through a radiation-detecting probe. Upon its location, the radioactive parathyroid tumor is then removed and the incision is sealed and bandaged.
Parathyroid Surgery Patients
Patients are expected to have 99% cure rate compared to the standard operation. Even those who have hyperplasia can avail of this radio-guided parathyroid surgery and they wouldn’t need to have those large cuts on their necks. The most important part in having this surgery is choosing the right surgeon. Cure rates are increased if the parathyroid specialist regularly performs the minimally-invasive operation.
