Asymptomatic hyperparathyroidism: An assessment of operative intervention

Abstract

Summary: The incidental finding of hypercalcaemia during multichannel screening was the initiating event in 33 (45 per cent) of 79 consecutive cases of surgical treated primary hyperparathyroidism. This subgroup was asymptomatic as defined. Altough significant biochemical differences existed between symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, a range of metabolic indices of bone turnover fell postoperatively in almost all asymptomatic subjects, although initially abnormal in only 35 per cent. Achievement of normocalcaemia was significantly surgeon-dependent.