EFFICACY OF PARATHYROID-GLAND AUTOTRANSPLANTATION IN MAINTAINING SERUM-CALCIUM CONCENTRATIONS AFTER BILATERAL THYROPARATHYROIDECTOMY IN CATS

Bilateral thyroidectomy is a commonly indicated treatment for feline h yperthyroidism. The most common postoperative complication is hypocalc emia due to disruption of the parathyroid glands. When parathyroid gla nd disruption is obvious, many authors suggest autotransplantation (AT ) of the glands. This technique never has been supported by a scientif ic study which monitored postoperative calcium or parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations. Cats in this study each underwent bilateral thyr oidectomy and parathyroid AT to mimic a clinical situation. Serum calc ium concentrations normalized much quicker than concentrations in prev iously reported cats undergoing bilateral thyroidectomy and parathyroi dectomy. Parathyroid AT greatly reduces morbidity in the parathyroidec tomized cat.