Parathyroid cyst and hyperparathyroidism in Auckland.

We have reviewed the clinical and pathological records of 4 patients presenting for treatment of parathyroid cyst in Auckland between 1970 and 1987. The mean age of the patients was 60.5 years and 3 patients presented with symptomatic hyperparathyroidism (2 male and 1 female patient) and 1 female patient presented with a neck mass and tracheal compression. All cysts were unilocular and filled with clear fluid (mean cyst diameter was 1.5 cm and mean cyst weight was 5.55 g). Four out of the 5 cysts were located in the inferior neck. Of the three patients with hyperparathyroidism, 2 patients had associated parathyroid adenoma (1 patient having bilateral cystic adenomas) and 1 patient had hyperplasia of the remaining glandular tissue. We conclude that parathyroid cyst is an uncommon clinical problem of uncertain aetiology affecting middle aged and elderly patients.