1. Intraoperative PTH monitoring is a tool, not the whole operation.Patients may hear a lot about intraoperative PTH monitoring and assume it is the main thing that makes parathyroid surgery successful. It is better thought of as one useful tool. The real goal of surgery is to identify and remove the overactive parathyroid gland or […]
When a blood test shows a high calcium level, one of the first questions is what is causing it. In many cases, the answer is a parathyroid problem, specifically primary hyperparathyroidism. But not every case of high calcium comes from the parathyroid glands, so the lab results have to be interpreted carefully. The key test […]
Many people are surprised when a routine blood test shows a high calcium level. They may feel fine, or they may have symptoms they never connected to calcium at all. Either way, it is not something to ignore. Persistent hypercalcemia deserves a careful evaluation, and one of the most common causes is primary hyperparathyroidism. A […]
One of the most common misunderstandings about high calcium is the idea that a slightly elevated calcium level means a patient has only a mild problem. That is not a reliable way to think about primary hyperparathyroidism. But first let’s clarify that we are talking about someone who has a PTH level that is inappropriately […]
Vitamin K2 has been getting more attention lately in relation to hyperparathyroidism, calcium, and vitamin D supplements, especially in conversations about bone health and calcium metabolism. Interestingly, despite a growing amount of information available online, vitamin K2 still lives mostly in the background when it comes to mainstream, peer-reviewed medical literature. There are a few […]
It is quite common for an endocrinologist to confirm a diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism with lab work and then order one or more scans to look for an abnormal gland. It is important to understand that it is not necessary to see an abnormal gland on imaging before an operation to know that you have […]
The history of parathyroid surgery is pretty interesting. It started over a century ago, long before we had the advanced testing we use today. Back then, there was no way to measure parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels—only serum calcium could be tested. Patients often showed up with severe bone disease or kidney stones. Without a PTH […]
Understanding Hypercalcemia: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Hypercalcemia occurs when the level of calcium in the blood is too high—usually above 10.0 mg/dL. Calcium plays a key role in keeping bones strong, helping muscles work, and supporting nerve function. However, too much calcium in the bloodstream can interfere with these systems and lead to serious health […]
Your parathyroid glands help control how much calcium is in your blood and bones. If one or more of these glands makes too much hormone, it’s called hyperparathyroidism. This hormone tells your bones to release calcium into your blood. Over time, your bones can lose too much calcium and become weak. This can lead to […]
Here is a letter I recently received from a patient who had been suffering with typical symptoms of high calcium for about 4 years, with a calcium level that was “only” in the low 10’s. She recently underwent a simple outpatient operation to remove the overactive parathyroid gland and get her calcium and PTH back […]
