title: Successful implant of long-term cryopreserved parathyroid glands after total parathyroidectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parathyroid cryopreservation is essential in some cases of parathyroid surgery. The fate of autografted tissue after long-term cryopreservation is not fully discussed in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  The successful experience with the use of parathyroid tissues preserved for 21 months and 30 months is reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both patients were women with renal hyperparathyroidism who underwent total parathyroidectomy without autotransplantation. Patient 1 was a 40-year-old woman. At 21 months of follow-up, her parathyroid hormone (PTH) level was undetectable, and despite oral calcium supplements, she was hypocalcemic. Forty-five cryopreserved fragments were thawed and implanted in her forearm. Calcium levels improved, and PTH steadily increased in both arms. PTH levels at 18 months after the autograft were 37.0 pg/mL in the contralateral arm and 1150.0 pg/mL in the implant arm. Patient 2 was a 44-year-old woman. After 30 months, her PTH was undetectable, and she underwent cryopreserved tissue implantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These cases show that parathyroid tissue may remain viable even after long-term storage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil. fabiomonte@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Fábio Luiz
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: de Menezes Montenegro
authors.forename: Melani Ribeiro
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Custódio
authors.forename: Sérgio Samir
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Arap
authors.forename: Luciene Machado Dos
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Shigueko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sonohara
authors.forename: Inês Vieira
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Vanda
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jorgetti
authors.forename: Anói Castro
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: Alberto Rosseti
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ferraz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006962:Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000209:etiology; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D016105:Parathyroidectomy; D013997:Time Factors; D014022:Tissue Survival; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone