operative parathyroid hormone monitoring in secondary hyperparathyroidism: is it useful?
Objectives: To assess the use of intra-operative parathyroid hormone (PTH) level monitoring as a predictor of persistent hypoparathyroidism after total parathyroidectomy in renal hyperparathyroidism. Setting: University Teaching Hospital Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Unit. Participants: All patients with renal hyperparathyroidism undergoing parathyroidectomy between January 2004 and July 2005. Twenty-nine patients were identified. Main outcome measures: Comparison is made between pre- and intra-operative PTH levels (ioPTH) in patients who at 3 months postoperatively maintained hypoparathyroidism and patients who did not. Results were analysed to see whether ioPTH predicts maintenance of the hypoparathyroid state. Results: The mean preoperative PTH level was 932 pg/L (range: 58-1808). The mean postoperative PTH level was 147 pg/L (range: 16-498). The mean 3-month PTH level was 47 pg/L (range: <1-515). The mean postoperative PTH level for patients with a persistently high
