title: Effects of thyroid cystectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism on immune function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of thyroid cystectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism on immune function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two patients with parathyroid cysts complicated with primary hyperparathyroidism were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group (n=46). The treatment group received endoscopic thyroidectomy through the anterior chest wall via the areolar approach, and the control group was treated with conventional open thyroidectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two groups had similar immune function indices as well as thyroid hormone, serum calcium and phosphorus levels before surgery (P>0.05). After surgery, FT3 and FT4 levels significantly increased in both groups, whereas that of TSH significantly decreased (P<0.05). The levels of the two groups differed significantly on the postoperative 5th day (P<0.05). NK%, CD3+%, CD4+% and CD8+%, which significantly fluctuated on the postoperative 1st day in both groups (P<0.05), were basically recovered on the postoperative 5th day in the treatment group that had significantly different outcomes from those of the control group (P<0.05). On the postoperative 1st and 5th days, the treatment group had significantly lower serum calcium level and significantly higher serum phosphorus level than those of the control group (P<0.05). The surgeries were successfully performed for all patients. During three months of follow-up, the treatment group was significantly less prone to complications such as surgical site infection, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, parathyroid crisis and hoarseness than the control group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism, endoscopic thyroidectomy through the anterior chest wall via the areolar approach decreased the incidence rate of complications, as well as promoted the recovery of serum calcium and phosphorous levels, probably by only mildly affecting immune function and thyroid hormone levels.
authors.affiliation: Xiangdang Yin, Department of Oral-Maxillofacial-Thyroid Oncosurgery, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun 130001, China.
authors.forename: Xiangdang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Liang Hu, First Department of Respiratory Diseases, Children's Hospital of Changchun, Changchun 130051, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Xiaochun Wang, Department of Oral-Maxillofacial-Thyroid Oncosurgery, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun 130001, China.
authors.forename: Xiaochun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Endoscopic thyroidectomy; Immune function; Primary hyperparathyroidism; Thyroid hormone