Minimally invasive parathyroid surgery

Several minimally invasive procedures have been described over the past 3 y ears for the treatment of sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Thes e techniques (totally endoscopic, video assisted and radio guided) have bee n demonstrated to be feasible and safe, but the surgeon should be well trai ned to obtain the best results with these approaches. Not all patients are eligible for minimally invasive procedures. The results are comparable to t hose of conventional surgery with advantages in terms of cosmetic result an d reduced postoperative pain. These procedures should be considered to be a valid option by surgeons dealing with patients with primary hyperparathyro idism.