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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Feb 8.
Published in final edited form as: Adv Surg. 2011;45:237–248. doi: 10.1016/j.yasu.2011.03.003

Table 3.

Classification of parathyroid reoperations as either avoidable or unavoidable. Avoidable operations were either due to technical errors during the case or due to errors in judgement occurring pre-operatively or during the operation. Data from Mitchell J, Milas M, Barbosa G, Sutton J, Berber E, Siperstein A. Avoidable reoperations for thyroid and parathyroid surgery: effect of hospital volume. Surgery. Dec 2008;144(6):899-906; discussion 906-897.

CLASSIFICATION OF PARATHYROID REOPERATIONS
Avoidable
 Unavoidable
1. Missed gland in a normal anatomic location 1. Persistent hyperparathyroidism after appropriate pre-operative imaging and intra-operative PTH drop
2. Persistent hyperparathyroidism after exploration without localization or intra-operative PTH drop
2. Persistent hyperparathyroidism due to ectopic gland not visualized on pre-operative imaging
3. Persistent hyperparathyroidism in patients with secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism or MEN syndrome after less than a subtotal parathyroidecotmy
3. Persistent hyperparathyroidism due to a supernumerary gland
4. Recurrent hyperparathyroidism
4. Re-exploration without appropriate pre-operative imaging