The surgeon's armamentarium to the surgical treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Parathyroidectomy cures the vast majority of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT). While bilateral neck exploration has been the mainstay of therapy, recent advances in technology have revolutionized the field making a focused approach to parathyroidectomy a reality. The development of accurate pre-operative localization with sestamibi scanning, effective unilateral, endoscopic and video-assisted techniques, and rapid intra-operative parathyroid hormone (PTH) testing have made it possible to cure patients with the least amount of surgical dissection possible. In this paper, we will explore the role of focused parathyroidectomy in the surgical treatment of primary HPT. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.