ABSTRACT
Macroadenomas of the parathyroids represent a frequent entity and their treatment is mainly surgical. Post surgical hypocalcemia is the most post operative complication. In our study, we evaluated the clinical, biological and evolutive characteristics of the macroadenomas with a size more than 3 cm. Eight patients were operated in the ORL departement of Sfax for macroadenomas among 34 patients operated for parathyroid adenomas between 1992 and 2004. All our eight patients were women and their mean age was 52 [extremes 31 and 70] and all of them had symptoms that were suggestive of primary hyperparathyroidism. The mean size of the adenomas was 4 cm [from 3 to 5 cm] and all them were benign tumours. When compared to patients who had tumors of less than 3 cm, we found that brown tumors were more frequently encountered [3 cases; p<0.05], phosphocalcic levels more abnormal and post surgical hypocalcemia significantly more frequent. All the glands were considered as benign