title: Parathyroid carcinoma with postoperative prolonged hypocalcemia in a patient with chronic renal failure.
abstract: Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare disease that usually presents with severe hypercalcemia and marked elevation of parathyroid hormone level. A 64-year-old male patient with repeated episodes of renal stones sustained chronic renal failure. Subsequently, he developed acute uremic symptoms and underwent a left upper parathyroidectomy. Parathyroid carcinoma was diagnosed after surgery. Asymptomatic hypocalcemia was the initial presentation. Protracted symptomatic hypocalcemia developed 8 months postoperatively, accompanied by an extremely high parathyroid hormone level. Delayed "bone hunger" syndrome concomitant with down-regulation of the parathyroid hormone receptors or production of parathyroid hormone with diminished bioactivity may have been the possible causes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Jeng
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000209:etiology*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*