What is minimally invasive radioguided parathyroidectomy (MIRP)?
Minimally invasive radioguided parathyroidectomy, or MIRP, is a surgical procedure used to treat patients diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism. A safer and less invasive approach to a traditional parathyroidectomy, MIRP can usually be performed through a 1.5-inch incision in the neck. Before MIRP, surgeons searched for and removed the faulty parathyroid gland through a large incision. This approach often required surgical exploration of the neck. Q: How is the surgery performed? A: Before surgery, patients are injected with a radioactive material that washes out quickly from the thyroid. It remains only in the diseased parathyroid gland (adenoma), and is not absorbed readily by healthy parathyroid glands. Two hours later, the parathyroid is viewed on a radioisotope (sestamibi) scan to help locate the abnormal parathyroid gland and is found through the incision using a hand-held radiation detector. Usually, a 1.5-inch incision is made precisely over the spot of the offending gland
