Published online Mar 28, 2016. doi: 10.5412/wjsp.v6.i1.1
Peer-review started: September 6, 2015
First decision: October 30, 2015
Revised: December 3, 2015
Accepted: December 29, 2015
Article in press: January 4, 2016
Published online: March 28, 2016
Processing time: 209 Days and 8.3 Hours
Core tip: Intraoperative parathormone monitoring (IPM) is vital component of the focused parathyroidectomy, the management of choice for primary hyperparathyroidism at the authors’ institution. IPM is used to confirm complete removal of hyperfunctioning glands while preserving any remaining normally functioning glands before the operation is finished, guide the surgeon to continue neck exploration for additional hyperfunctioning glands when the intraoperative parathormone (PTH) levels do not drop sufficiently, identify parathyroid tissue by measurement of intraoperative PTH levels in fine needle aspiration samples, and lateralize hypersecreting parathyroid(s) through differential jugular venous sampling when preoperative localization studies are equivocal.