Ultrasonography alone can reliably locate parathyroid tumours and facilitates minimally invasive parathyroidectomy

Introduction Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) is performed via a short incision (≤3cm). Previous studies have employed multiple imaging modalities including ultrasonography, sestamibi imaging and/or intraoperative parathyroid hormone assay. We present our eight-year experience of MIP using ultrasonography alone. Methods One hundred parathyroidectomies performed by a single surgeon between April 2004 and December 2012 were identified in a prospectively maintained database. All patients underwent ultrasonography including preoperative marking of the lesion by a single radiologist. No other localising diagnostic tests were performed. Results Of the 100 patients (69% female) who underwent parathyroidectomy, 93 had MIP. The median age of all cases was 58 years (range: 19–90 years). All patients exhibited an elevated parathyroid hormone level (median: 19pmol) in the presence of hypercalcaemia (median: 2.86mmol/l, range: 2.54–3.94mmol/l). Conventional surgery was indicated in seven patients owing to the need for concurrent thyroidectomy. The median operative time was 30 minutes (range: 10–130 minutes). Ultrasonography localised parathyroid tumour position correctly in 98% of patients who underwent MIP, and in 97% across both MIP and non-MIP groups. Postoperative complications requiring treatment included pancreatitis and symptomatic hypocalcaemia. Follow-up review at 6–8 weeks demonstrated that 86% of open cases (6/7) and 94% of MIP cases (87/93) were rendered normocalcaemic. Conclusions Our study is the first to demonstrate that the sole use of ultrasonography including preoperative marking can localise parathyroid tumours correctly in 98% of cases suitable for MIP.