Parathyroid C59 P452-458 Flashcards

1
Q

ANATOMY
How many parathyroids are
there?
P452

A
Usually four (two superior and two
inferior)
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2
Q

ANATOMY
What percentage of patients
have five parathyroid glands?
P452

A

≈5% (Think: 5 = 5)

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3
Q
ANATOMY
What percentage of patients
have three parathyroid
glands?
P452
A

≈10%

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4
Q
ANATOMY
What is the usual position of
the inferior parathyroid
glands?
P452
A

Posterior and lateral behind the thyroid

and below the inferior thyroid artery

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5
Q

ANATOMY
What is the most common
site of an “extra” gland?
P452

A

Thymus gland

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6
Q
ANATOMY
What percentage of patients
have a parathyroid gland in
the mediastinum?
P452
A

≈1%

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7
Q
ANATOMY
If only three parathyroid
glands are found at surgery,
where can the fourth one
be hiding?
P452
A
Thyroid gland
Thymus/mediastinum
Carotid sheath
Tracheoesophageal groove
Behind the esophagus
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8
Q
ANATOMY
What is the embryologic
origin of the following structures:
Superior parathyroid glands?
P453
A

Fourth pharyngeal pouch

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9
Q
ANATOMY
What is the embryologic
origin of the following structures:
Inferior parathyroid glands?
P453
A

Third pharyngeal pouch

counterintuitive

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10
Q

ANATOMY
What supplies blood to the
parathyroid glands?
P453

A

Inferior thyroid artery

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11
Q
ANATOMY
What percentage of patients
have all four parathyroid
glands supplied by the
inferior thyroid arteries
exclusively?
P453
A

≈80%

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12
Q

ANATOMY
What is DiGeorge’s
syndrome?
P453

A

Congenital absence of the parathyroid

glands and the thymus

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13
Q
ANATOMY
What is the most common
cause of hypercalcemia in
hospitalized patients?
P453
A

Cancer

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14
Q
ANATOMY
What is the most common
cause of hypercalcemia in
outpatients?
P453
A

Hyperparathyroidism

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15
Q

PHYSIOLOGY
What cell type produces
PTH?
P453

A

Chief cells produce ParaThyroid

Hormone (PTH)

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16
Q

PHYSIOLOGY
What are the major actions
of PTH?
P453

A
Increases blood calcium levels (takes
from bone breakdown, GI absorption,
increased resorption from kidney,
excretion of phosphate by kidney),
decreases serum phosphate
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17
Q

PHYSIOLOGY
How does vitamin D work?
P453

A

Increases intestinal absorption of calcium

and phosphate

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18
Q

PHYSIOLOGY
Where is calcium absorbed?
P453

A

Duodenum and proximal jejunum

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19
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
Define primary HPTH.
P454

A

Increased secretion of PTH by parathyroid
gland(s); marked by elevated calcium,
low phosphorus

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20
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
Define secondary HPTH.
P454

A
Increased serum PTH resulting from
calcium wasting caused by renal failure
or decreased GI calcium absorption,
rickets or osteomalacia; calcium levels
are usually low
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21
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
Define tertiary HPTH.
P454

A
Persistent HPTH after correction of
secondary hyperparathyroidism; results
from autonomous PTH secretion not
responsive to the normal negative
feedback due to elevated Ca⁺ ⁺ levels
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22
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What are the methods of
imaging the parathyroids?
P454

A
Surgical operation
Ultrasound
Sestamibi scan
201TI (technetium)–thallium subtraction
    scan
CT/MRI
A-gram (rare)
Venous sampling for PTH (rare)
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23
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What are the indications for
a localizing preoperative
study?
P454
A

Reoperation for recurrent

hyperparathyroidism

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24
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the most common
cause of primary HPTH?
P454

A

Adenoma ( >85%)

25
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What are the etiologies
of primary HPTH and
percentages?
P454
A

Adenoma ( ≈85%)
Hyperplasia ( ≈10%)
Carcinoma ( ≈1%)

26
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the incidence of
primary HPTH in the
United States?
P454
A

≈1/1000–4000

27
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What are the risk factors for
primary HPTH?
P454

A

Family history, MEN-I and MEN-IIa,

irradiation

28
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What are the signs/
symptoms of primary HPTH
hypercalcemia?
P455
A
“Stones, bones, groans, and
psychiatric overtones”:
    Stones: Kidney stones
    Bones: Bone pain, pathologic
       fractures, subperiosteal resorption
    Groans: Muscle pain and weakness,
       pancreatitis, gout, constipation
    Psychiatric overtones: Depression,
       anorexia, anxiety
    Other symptoms: Polydipsia, weight
       loss, HTN (10%), polyuria, lethargy
29
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the “33 to 1” rule?
P455

A

Most patients with primary HPTH have a

ratio of serum (Cl⁻) to phosphate ≥33

30
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What plain x-ray findings are
classic for HPTH?
P455

A

Subperiosteal bone resorption (usually in
hand digits; said to be “pathognomonic”
for HPTH!)

31
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
How is primary HPTH
diagnosed?
P455

A

Labs—elevated PTH (hypercalcemia,
↓ phosphorus, ↑ chloride); urine calcium
should be checked for familial
hypocalciuric hypercalcemia

32
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is familial hypocalciuric
hypercalcemia?
P455

A
Familial (autosomal-dominant)
    inheritance of a condition of
    asymptomatic hypercalcemia
    and low urine calcium, with or
    without elevated PTH; in contrast,
    hypercalcemia from HPTH results in
    high levels of urine calcium
Note: Surgery to remove parathyroid
    glands is not indicated for this diagnosis
33
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
How many of the glands are USUALLY affected by the
following conditions:
Hyperplasia?
P455
A

4

34
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
How many of the glands are USUALLY affected by the
following conditions:
Adenoma?
P455
A

1

35
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
How many of the glands are USUALLY affected by the
following conditions:
Carcinoma?
P455
A

1

36
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What percentage of adenomas
are not single but found in
more than one gland?
P455
A

≈5%

37
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the differential
diagnosis of hypercalcemia?
P456

A
“CHIMPANZEES”:
    Calcium overdose
    Hyperparathyroidism (1/2/3),
    Hyperthyroidism, Hypocalciuric
       Hypercalcemia (familial)
    Immobility/Iatrogenic (thiazide
       diuretics)
    Metastasis/Milk alkali syndrome (rare)
    Paget’s disease (bone)
    Addison’s disease/acromegaly
    Neoplasm (colon, lung, breast,
       prostate, multiple myeloma)
    Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
    Excessive vitamin D
    Excessive vitamin A
    Sarcoid
38
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the initial medical
treatment of hypercalcemia
(1 HPTH)?
P456
A

Medical—IV fluids, furosemide—NOT

thiazide diuretics

39
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the definitive treatment of HPTH in the
following cases:
Primary HPTH resulting
from HYPERPLASIA?
P456
A
Neck exploration removing all
parathyroid glands and leaving at least
30 mg of parathyroid tissue placed in the
forearm muscles (nondominant arm, of
course!)
40
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the definitive treatment of HPTH in the
following cases:
Primary HPTH resulting
from parathyroid
ADENOMA?
P456
A

Surgically remove adenoma (send for
frozen section) and biopsy all abnormally
enlarged parathyroid glands (some
experts biopsy all glands)

41
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the definitive treatment of HPTH in the
following cases:
Primary HPTH resulting
from parathyroid
CARCINOMA?
P456
A

Remove carcinoma, ipsilateral thyroid
lobe, and all enlarged lymph nodes
(modified radical neck dissection for LN
metastases)

42
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the definitive treatment of HPTH in the
following cases:
Secondary HPTH?
P456
A

Correct calcium and phosphate; perform
renal transplantation (no role for
parathyroid surgery)

43
Q

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
Tertiary HPTH?
P457

A
Correct calcium and phosphate; perform
surgical operation to remove all parathyroid
glands and reimplant 30 to 40 mg in the
forearm if REFRACTORY to medical
management
44
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
Why place 30 to 40 mg of
sliced parathyroid gland in
the forearm?
P457
A

To retain parathyroid function; if HPTH
recurs, remove some of the parathyroid
gland from the easily accessible forearm

45
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What must be ruled out in
the patient with HPTH from
hyperplasia?
P457
A

MEN type I and MEN type IIa

46
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What carcinomas are
commonly associated with
hypercalcemia?
P457
A

Breast cancer metastases, prostate
cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer,
pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma

47
Q
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPTH)
What is the most likely
diagnosis if a patient has a
PALPABLE neck mass,
hypercalcemia, and elevated
PTH?
P457
A

Parathyroid carcinoma (vast majority
of other causes of primary HPTH have
nonpalpable parathyroids)

48
Q

PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
What is it?
P457

A

Primary carcinoma of the parathyroid

gland

49
Q

PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
What is the number of
glands usually affected?
P457

A

1

50
Q

PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
What are the signs/
symptoms?
P457

A
Hypercalcemia, elevated PTH,
PALPABLE parathyroid gland (50%),
pain in neck, recurrent laryngeal nerve
paralysis (change in voice), hypercalcemic
crisis (usually associated with calcium
levels > 14)
51
Q

PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
What is the common tumor
marker?
P457

A

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

HCG

52
Q

PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
What is the treatment?
P457

A

Surgical resection of parathyroid mass
with ipsilateral thyroid lobectomy,
ipsilateral lymph node resection

53
Q
PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
What percentage of all
cases of primary HPTH
are caused by parathyroid
carcinoma?
P458
A

1%

54
Q
PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS OF PARATHYROIDECTOMY
What are the possible
postoperative complications
after a parathyroidectomy?
P458
A
Recurrent nerve injury (unilateral: voice
change; bilateral: airway obstruction),
neck hematoma (open at bedside if
breathing is compromised), hypocalcemia,
superior laryngeal nerve injury
55
Q
PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS OF PARATHYROIDECTOMY
What is “hungry bone
syndrome”?
P458
A

Severe hypocalcemia seen after surgical
correction of HPTH as chronically
calcium-deprived bone aggressively
absorbs calcium

56
Q
PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS OF PARATHYROIDECTOMY
What are the signs/
symptoms of postoperative
hypocalcemia?
P458
A

Perioral tingling, paresthesia,
+ Chvostek’s sign, + Trousseau’s sign,
+ tetany

57
Q
PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS OF PARATHYROIDECTOMY
What is the treatment of
hypoparathyroidism?
P458
A

Acute: IV calcium
Chronic: PO calcium, and vitamin D

58
Q

PARATHYROID CARCINOMA
POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS OF PARATHYROIDECTOMY
What is parathyromatosis?
P458

A
Multiple small hyperfunctioning
parathyroid tissue masses found over the
neck and mediastinum—thought to be
from congenital rests or spillage during
surgery—remove surgically (RARE)