[Parathyroid surgery in Norway 1999-2005].
BACKGROUND
A Norwegian study from 1994 reported large regional variations in the surgical treatment of hyperparathyroidism. There is no national consensus on guidelines for surgery. The aim of the present study was to describe regional variations in the frequency of surgery for hyperparathyroidism in Norway.


METHODS
Data from hospitals with more than three operations annually were collected from the Norwegian Patient Register and the Cancer Registry of Norway from 1.1. 1999 to 31.12. 2005.


RESULTS
29 hospitals performed 2,611 parathyroid operations during the six years assessed. The number of hospitals performing such operations was reduced to 19 in 2005. The number of patients treated surgically increased from 282 to 446, i.e. by 58%, from 1999 to 2005. The frequency of surgeries varied largely between regions. Two-thirds of the operated adenomas were not reported to the Norwegian Cancer Registry.


CONCLUSIONS
Further studies are needed to explain the large increase and the regional variation in the number of operations for hyperparathyroidism. Adenomas in the parathyroid glands should be exempted from the Norwegian cancer registration, as they do not represent pre-malignancy and are not reported consistently.
Lindekleiv
Haakon
H
Avdeling for urologi og endokrin kirurgi, Universitetssykehuset Nord-Norge, Postboks 100, 9038 Tromsø.
Due
Jan
J
D000236:Adenoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D016105:Parathyroidectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012042:Registries