[Primary hyperparathyroidism--a 16-year material from a central hospital].
BACKGROUND
In Norway, population 4.3 million, approximately 160 patients a year have undergone surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism during the last ten years. Previous reports are rare.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of all patients operated for primary hyperparathyroidism during 16 years at Vestfold Hospital, which serves a population of 200,000. Late recurrences and persisting hypocalcaemia were evaluated with laboratory tests median eight years after surgery.


RESULTS
104 patients were operated (88 females and 16 males; median age 64 years, range 22-78). Adenomas were found in 88 patients, of which four had double adenomas, and hyperplasia in 16 patients. Three patients died postoperatively, within 30 days, all of them high-risk patients. Two patients were reoperated because of bleeding. In one patient an infection was drained. Median hospital stay was five days. Two patients had persisting hypercalcaemia; eight patients needed permanent vitamin D substitution. Four recurrences were detected. Normocalcaemia was achieved in 91 patients (90%).


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical treatment leads to normocalcemia in 90% of patient, but is not risk-free in severely ill patients. To assess the true benefit of the operation for the individual patient, better preoperative mapping of symptoms and better follow-up protocols should be implemented.
Mjåland
O
O
Kirurgisk avdeling Vestfold Sentralsykehus 3116 Tønsberg. odd.mjaland@c2i.net
Flikke
A
A
Normann
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies