Thoracoscopy: the preferred method for excision of mediastinal parathyroids

Abstract

Mediastinal exploration to resect ectopic parathyroid is required in approximately 2% of all cases of hyperparathyroidism. Traditionally, it has been performed through a midsternotomy or thoracotomy. A few reports about thoracoscopic resection of mediastinal parathyroid were published recently. We report here successful Video-assisted THORACOSCOPIC RESECTION (VATS) of a mediastinal parathyroid and present a review of all previously reported cases. A 42-year-old woman presented with spontaneous fracture of the left femur and hypercalcemia. She had previously undergone cervical parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism. A Computed Tomography (CT) scan of the chest and a technetium scan showed ectopic mediastinal parathyroid. The patient underwent successful thoracoscopic resection of ectopic parathyroid. A total of 26 patients were reviewed, 21 in the English literature and 5 in others. Of the 21 patients reported in the English literature, 16 had primary hyperparathyroidism (1° HPT), whereas 5 had secondary hyperparathyroidism (2° HPT). All but 3 patients had undergone previous cervical exploration. Ectopic mediastinal parathyroid was localized preoperatively in all by CT scans of the chest and nuclear scans. All 21 patients had successful thoracoscopic resection. All but 3 had parathyroid adenoma. Postoperatively, serum calcium (Ca⁺⁺), phosphate (PO4^–) and parathormone (PTH) values returned to normal in all patients. Age and sex of the patient, type of hyperparathyroidism (1° or 2°), size of the gland, its location within the anterior mediastinum, the approach used to resect it (right or left thoracoscopic), and final histopathology of the resected gland (adenoma or hyperplasia) had no bearing on the success of thoracoscopic resection. The data seem to suggest that thoracoscopic resection of mediastinal parathyroid is a less-invasive, effective, and safe procedure. Accurate preoperative anatomic localization by CT and nuclear scans of the chest is the key to success.