Sonar guided focused parathyroidectomy under cervical block

Introduction: Presentation of hyperparathyroidism varies and is highly non-specific.The automated calcium analyzer has made the diagnosis easy. Similarly, the advent of Sestamibi scan has paved the way to minimally invasive parathyroidectomy indicated for parathyroid adenoma. There is no uniformity in the extent of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy that is done through limited incision under radio or sonar guidance and endoscopically. In this study, we are presenting the focused parathyroidectomy performed under sonar guidance and superficial cervical block (SCB). The prerequisite is concordant preoperative Sestamibi and ultrasound imaging.Objective: To reflect on the result of sonar-guided focused parathyroidectomy under SCB.Method: A two-year review of parathyroidectomies performed between January 2013 and December 2014.Result: There was good correlation between the pre-operative imaging, the intra-operative findings and the postoperative histology result of the 15 cases analysed. Conclusion: The focused parathyroidectomy under SCB yielded a good result with concordant preoperative Sestamibi and ultrasound findings

Demographic and histological subtypes of Hurthle cell tumours of the thyroid in a South African setting

Background: Report of Hurthle cells following fine needle aspiration cytology from a thyroid nodule raises possibility of Hurthle cell carcinoma (HCC), which is a distinct entity and accounts for 3­10% of thyroid malignancies. Aim: To determine if there are demographic and histopathological features which may be used to differentiate HCC from Hurthle cell adenoma (HCA). Methods: Histopathology records of patients who had thyroidectomy from January 2001 to October 2015 were reviewed. Data retrieved included indications for thyroidectomy, patients' demographics, histology and preoperative FNAC results. Results: At total of 2641 records were reviewed of which 25.6% (676/2641) were for neoplasms. 15.8% (107/676) of the neoplasms were Hurthle cell neoplasms (HCNs) and 25.2% (27/107) of HCNs were HCCs. 77.2% (71/92) of HCAs and 77.8% (21/27) of HCCs were from female patients. Preoperative FNAC results were available for 54.2% (58/107) and were suspicious of HCN in 12.1% (7/58). Average tumour size for HCCs and HCAs was 4.9 +/- 2.7 cm and 3.5 +/- 2.0 cm, respectively. The difference was statistically significant with a p-value of 0.016. The risk of malignancy increased from 11.1% in HCNs less than 1 cm to 53.8% for tumours which were greater than 4 cm in diameter. Conclusion: HCNs are more common in females. The likelihood of HCC rises as the size of the HCN increases. Malignancy rate exceeds 50% for HCNs which are greater than 4 cm in diameter