Brown tumors of hyperparathyroidism [BTHPT]. Experience with fifteen patients

ABSTRACT

Brown tumors of hyperparathyroidism [BTHPT] are non neoplastic lesions. They may be associated with primary, secondary or tertiary hyperparathyroidism. However it occurs far more common with the primary one. The maximum reported cases in the literature were three cases, but we have encountered 15 patients in the last 8 years. All these cases were associated with primary hyperparathyroidism due to parathyroid adenomas in 14 cases and parathyroid carcinoma in one case. All the adenomas were excised after proper pre-operative localization. Ten were found in the neck and live were found in the superior mediastinum. The intraoral tumor like lesions were not touched and regressed in size till completely disappeared within 6 -18 months post operatively. One patient underwent surgical excision of the disfiguring upper jaw swelling that was also interfering with mouth opening, chewing and swallowing. The clinical presentations of the cases, the preoperative methods of localization, the surgery done and the follow up [i.e. the change in tumor size and the blood chemistry] are presented and discussed