Surgery is the preferred treatment. Usually 3 and 1/2 glands are removed. The remaining tissue may be implanted in the forearm so a doctor can easily operate on it if symptoms come back. This tissue will also help the body control calcium levels.

Increased calcium levels persist or return about 20% of the time after surgery.

Parathyroid hyperplasia causes about 15% of cases of hyperparathyroidism, which leads to an increase in blood calcium levels.

Complications include increased calcium in the kidneys and osteitis fibrosa cystica.

Patients may also have complications from the other endocrine tumors that are part of the multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes. See:MEN 1 andMEN 2A

Call your health care provider if you have any symptoms of hypercalcemia, or there is a family history of any of the MEN syndromes

Images

Endocrine glands

Parathyroid glands

Previous Section

Parathyroid hyperplasia Symptoms

Next Section

Parathyroid hyperplasia Prevention

Review Date: 08/31/2010
Reviewed By: Ari S. Eckman, MD, Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)