Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Problems
Because parathyroid disease does not improve by itself and the secreted PTH is too Total Thyroid Review powerful for drugs to counteract, patients diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism require surgery. The elevated parathyroid hormone level causes ongoing bone thinning and abnormally elevated calcium levels in the bloodstream. A patient may not experience or feel the symptoms of bone pain, kidney stones, or abdominal discomfort.
However, a 'wait and see' approach is not advised if there is a suspicion of parathyroid disease. New testing and surgical techniques have changed the way parathyroid operations are performed. The traditional parathyroid surgical technique requires the surgeon to place a large incision in the neck to locate and examine the four parathyroid glands located behind the thyroid. The tumorous gland or glands are then located and removed. Patients that opt for traditional surgery require at least one night of hospitalization, and the patient is left with a large neck scar.
Preoperative parathyroid imaging and localization of the abnormal tumor enables a minimally invasive or "mini-incision" approach to parathyroid surgery. Finding the tumor before incision allows the surgeon to make a smaller incision without the need for a traditional neck exploration. Because over 90% of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism have a single diseased gland, it's usually not necessary to explore all four glands.
Minimally invasive parathyroid surgery is an outpatient procedure. It requires an incision of only a one-inch or less, and the procedure can be performed in less than half an hour. Because the operation is quick and with limited dissection, patients can usually go home the same day as the operation. Overall pain is minimal, and the bandage is left in place for about a week.
