Protecting parathyroid gland viability and function

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Hypocalcemia due to ischemic parathyroid glands occurs in 23-82% of all thyroidectomy patients*. Although surgeon experience is a factor in causing ischemia to one or more parathyroid glands during thyroid and parathyroid surgery, even the most experienced surgeons have parathyroid glands that appear ischemic at the end of the operation. Ischemic parathyroid glands will always accompany these operations, but finally there is a solution!

Patients with hypoparathyroidism post-thyroid or parathyroid surgery are a huge burden. Typically these patients are required to spend several nights in the hospital, and then are put on a regimen of calcium and vitamin D and sent for lab tests every few days or once a week for several months.  In addition to getting frequent blood tests, the patients typically require daily calls by the hospital or office staff, and weekly or bi-weekly visits to the surgeon and/or endocrinologist adding burden to all parties involved and increased overall cost. All of these factors can be dramatically reduced. 

A large prospective trial in 40 patients showed normal parathyroid gland function returns in just under half the time resulting in a dramatic reduction in costs of testing and doctor visits.  

 For decades it has been thought that a parathyroid gland that looks ischemic following any form of head and neck surgery should be removed and then autotransplanted. Unfortunately, this maneuver is the #1 predictor of hypoparathyroidism postoperatively. These glands are guaranteed to be dead for weeks and non-functional for months--even if they survive.  An autotransplanted parathyroid survives in less than 20% of cases and is not functional for at least 6 months. By leaving the gland in-situ and covering with a Parathyroid Dot which releases growth factors directly to the injured gland, return of gland function can be as soon as 2 weeks in our clinical trial. 

Parathyroid cells are known to grow and thrive in vitro when exposed to amniotic tissue because of the growth factors which are contained (read more). It appears this same benefit can be achieved in our patients with the simple application of amniotic tissue over the exposed ischemic parathyroid gland. A large prospective study showed a significantly quicker return to normal function following thyroid surgery compared to historical controls (publication in preparation).  Patients who were treated with Amnioduvet's Parathyroid Dot regained normal calcium regulation and normal parathyroid hormone levels in an average of 10 days vs historical controls who took an average of 23 days.

Our "Amniotic Parathyroid Dot" comes pre-cut and ready to apply. Simply open the package and place the optimally shaped "Dot" over the exposed gland and close the wound. The amniotic tissue contains all of the growth factors necessary to induce neovascularization and parathyroid cell proliferation thereby  function.