[Treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism--surgical viewpoints].

Nearly all patients with chronic renal failure exhibit some degree of secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT), defined as parathyroid hyperplasia and elevated serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. Despite improvements in the medical management of patients with sHPT continue to develop progressive bone disease manifested by osteitis fibrosa cystica, soft tissue calcification and myopathy, pruritus, bone and joint pain and calciphylaxis may accompany the bone disorder. When medical therapy fails, parathyroidectomy becomes necessary. This is not sufficiently explained by the failure to administer calcitriol to control serum phosphate and calcium concentration or to deliver sufficient dialysis. The continuous increase of the proportion of patients exhibiting severe uncontrolled HPT with increasing time of dialysis points to a more basic underlying biological problem; an even higher proportion of patients shows also nodular, rather than diffuse hyperplasia. It was commonly believed that after restoration of normal renal function with successful transplantation, the hyperplastic parathyroid glands would involute and return to normal function state. After renal transplantation some patients continue to have a HPT. This disease entity is recognized and termed as tertiary Hyperparathyroidism (tHPT). After establishing a diagnosis of hyperparathyroid bone disease, in patients with sHPT and tHPT a parathyroidectomy (PTX) frequently becomes necessary to decrease the mass of the hyperplastic parathyroid tissue. The surgical procedure remains controversial. Some surgeons prefer subtotal PTX, others prefer total PTX with autotransplantation of a small amount of tissue to the arm, because the transplanted tissue can be removed in the event of a recurrent HPT. Successful surgical intervention for sHPT and tHPT significantly reduces preoperative symptoms and leeds to restoration of bone disease and therefore supports PTX for patients with s and tHPT. In our experience total PTX with autograft has proven to be a satisfactory procedure. Subtotal PTX is also an effective procedure and the choice of operative technique should be left to the surgeon.