title: Anterior mediastinotomy for parathyroidectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Approximately 2% of ectopic parathyroid glands reside within the mediastinum in a location that requires a thoracic approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with mediastinal parathyroid tumors who underwent anterior mediastinotomy were included in this review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the course of 16 years, 10 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism underwent anterior mediastinotomy. There were 6 men and 4 women with a median age of 65. Seven patients had undergone at least one previous cervical exploration. Preoperative calcium levels were 11.3 +/- .8 mg/dL. Nine patients had preoperative localization with radionuclide scans and 9 patients also had preoperative computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scans. An abnormal gland was removed in all cases. Nine of 10 patients had normalization of their calcium levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anterior mediastinotomy after preoperative imaging has proven to be a technically feasible, safe, and effective method for the surgical management of patients with sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism and mediastinal parathyroid tumors.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Nagesh B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Ravipati
authors.forename: Elisabeth C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: McLemore
authors.forename: Richard T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Schlinkert
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Argueta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049950:Hyperparathyroidism, Primary / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000473:pathology; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D016105:Parathyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*