Autografts of normal and hyperplastic human parathyroid: experience in eleven patients with immunoassay monitoring of function in seven.

Parathyroid autografts were implanted in 11 patients at this institution. Four patients had total or subtotal parathyroidectomy and implantation for parathyroid hyperplasia or adenoma, while 7 had one or more parathyroids removed and implanted during total thyroidectomy for carcinoma of the thyroid. Hyperplastic parathyroid was implanted in 4 instances and normal parathyroid in 7. Recurrent hyperparathyroidism occurred in 1 patient with an implanted adenoma who was returned to a normocalcemic state by partial reexcision ("titration") of the implanted tissue. All implants were placed in muscle pockets, a single site being used for patients receiving normal parathyroid tissue, and multiple sites for patients receiving hyperplastic glands. Those patients receiving forearm implants were followed up by serial parathyroid hormone determinations in venous blood drawn from both arms. In all cases, elevated levels were found on the implanted side, as compared to the contralateral control side.