News

Parathyroid Surgery Launches At Northwest Ambulatory Surgery Center

 

Northwest Ambulatory Surgery Center is excited to announce the addition of treatment for hyperparathyroidism in the outpatient setting.  New, state-of-the-art technology allows surgeons to perform minimally-invasive parathyroidectomies by providing rapid true intra-operative parathyroid hormone (PTH) results in just 8 minutes. When compared with traditional parathyroid procedures, minimally-invasive parathyroidectomy offers a smaller scar, a shorter operation, a more rapid recovery, a lower incidence of postoperative hypocalcemia, and less postoperative pain.  Outpatient minimally invasive parathyroid surgeries are performed safely and the patient is the one who benefits most from this advance. 

Parathyroid glands are four small glands located behind the thyroid, responsible for regulating the calcium level in our bodies. Abnormal function of the parathyroid gland can cause serious disorders involving the renal, skeletal, cardiovascular and digestive systems.

Symptoms indicating the presence of disease may include kidney stones, loss of calcium from the bones (including promoting osteoporosis), joint and muscle pain, fatigue, depression or gastrointestinal illnesses. Problems with the parathyroid gland are usually not caused by cancer, but rather by overgrowth and over-activity, requiring surgical removal of an abnormal gland or glands (adenomas).

Because of the numerous small nerves and other important structures within the neck around the parathyroid glands, a parathyroid operation should be performed by a surgeon who has received special training and performs parathyroid surgery on a regular basis. Complications during parathyroid surgery are rare when done by a surgeon who performs many parathyroid operations each year.  Portland Otolaryngology Consultants proudly runs a high-volume parathyroid surgery practice and constantly strives to provide the utmost level of care in this area.

Dr. Samuel Shiley, of Portland Otolaryngology Consultants, is Portland’s first surgeon to perform minimally-invasive parathyroidectomies at Northwest Ambulatory Surgery Center.  Our center is pleased to offer this expanded service to patients and surgeons serving the surrounding community. To learn more about this procedure and/or our facility, please contact Northwest ASC at (503)-542-4888.