ABSTRACT
The first successful parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism was performed in Vienna, Austria, in 1925. Since then, parathyroidectomy has been routinely performed in many specialized centers worldwide. Due to the fact that a subset of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) has a multiglandular disease caused by four-gland hyperplasia or multiple adenomas, most surgeons have recommended routine bilateral exploration and identification of all glands.
