Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Monitoring Predicts Successful Treatment of Parathyroid Carcinoma

A retrospective review of 796 patients undergoing parathyroidectomy with intraoperative parathyroid hormone (iPTH) monitoring for primary hyperparathyroidism identified 18 patients with parathyroid carcinoma. The study found that patients who achieved a >50% decrease in iPTH levels into the normal reference range had a higher rate of operative success compared to those with a >50% decrease alone. This suggests that iPTH monitoring should be used alongside clinical judgment and complete resection for optimal treatment of parathyroid carcinoma.