American Association of Endocrine Surgeons

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

Today's the day! Join us at 5 pm PST/8 pm EST for a patient-focused webinar and get answers to your questions on "The Difficult Diagnosis of Primary Hyperparathyroidism!" Register here! https://t.co/DmDFdIKbUR

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

It's tomorrow 8/11, 8 pm EST! Join us for a patient-focused webinar to get answers to your questions on "The Difficult Diagnosis of Primary Hyperparathyroidism!" Register here! https://t.co/DmDFdIKbUR

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

What is "Focused Practice Designation (FPD) for Adult Complex Thyroid/Parathyroid Surgery"?

FPD is a special recognition given to surgeons who dedicate a significant part of their practice to these procedures. This is a NEW designation - so not all expert surgeons have it!

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

Today is 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗬𝗥𝗢𝗜𝗗 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗗𝗔𝗬 commemorating the person who discovered the parathyroid glands in mammals - 𝗦𝗶𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗢𝘄𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗮𝘆 - 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬, 𝟭𝟴𝟬𝟰.

#PAM2026 #parathyroidawarenessmonth2026

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

Primary hyperparathyroidism impacts about 1 in every 1,000 males and 2 to 3 in every 1,000 females. It predominantly occurs in individuals above the age of 50.

#ParathyroidAwarenessMonth2026 #PAM2026 @TheAACE @ParaTroupers1 @TheEndoSociety

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

You Don’t Need to “Watch and Wait” Forever

Tired of watching your high calcium levels and hoping it gets better?

Parathyroid surgery is the only cure for primary hyperparathyroidism—and it can be life-changing. AAES surgeon finder can help. https://t.co/ccRoXKYmIS

#PAM2026

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

High PTH with low vitamin D?

Sometimes, high parathyroid hormone (PTH) isn’t caused by a parathyroid tumor—it’s your body compensating for low Vitamin D. This is called secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Your doctor may recommend Vitamin D supplements and recheck.

#PAM2026

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

What Causes Hyperparathyroidism? (PART 2)

Dr. Sorensen's analogy, continued:

4-Gland Hyperplasia = "The Mean Girls"

All 4 glands are a little overactive: they oversecrete PTH.
Treatment: remove 3-3.5 glands. Only 1 normal-sized gland is needed for normal function.

#PAM2026

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

What Causes Primary Hyperparathyroidism? 🧵(1/2)

Dr. Meredith Sorensen explains:

Parathyroid Adenoma = "The Playground Bully"
One gland goes rogue, pumps out excess PTH, ignores the body's signals to stop. Result: high calcium.

✅ Removing that gland can CURE it.

#PAM2026

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

A diagram of the thyroid gland is rotated to show the very enlarged left inferior parathyroid gland. Use this free app (Thyroid Navigator) to explore the anatomy!

#CheckYourCalcium #PAM2026 @TheAACE @ParaTroupers1 @TheEndoSociety

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

Surgeons use scans before parathyroid surgery to find hidden glands and plan a successful operation. Radiolabeled 18F-fluorocholine PET/CT has limited availability but may be useful for finding hidden glands that can't be located with other scans. #PAM2026 @Paratroupers1

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

4D Parathyroid CT is one of the most sensitive scans for spotting overactive parathyroid glands—especially when multiple glands are involved or in unusual locations other tests might miss.

But remember, primary hyperparathyroidism is diagnosed by blood tests—not scans.
#PAM2026

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

Did your parathyroid scan come back negative?

Scans can miss small tumors or multiple overactive glands—but that doesn't mean you don’t have primary hyperpara.

✅ An experienced parathyroid surgeon can often find the problem—even when scans don’t.

#PAM2026 @Paratroupers1

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

Can an ultrasound find a parathyroid tumor ("adenoma")?

Yes—especially when done by an experienced parathyroid surgeon.

An enlarged parathyroid is often visible on ultrasound, but normal glands are too small to see on any scan.

#PAM2026 @TheAACE @ParaTroupers1 @TheEndoSociety

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

What’s IOPTH and why does it matter?

During parathyroid surgery, most expert surgeons measure intraoperative PTH (IOPTH) levels to confirm the overactive gland(s) have been removed.

An IOPTH drop of >50% at 10 minutes usually means you’re cured.

#PAM2026

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

Most people have 4 parathyroid glands that are located close to the thyroid. The upper (superior) parathyroid glands are located deeper in the neck, while the lower (inferior) parathyroid glands are more towards the front of the neck. #ParathyroidAwarenessMonth #PAM2026

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

🩺 Seeing a surgeon for primary hyperparathyroidism?
Here are some key questions to ask:

🔹 How many parathyroid surgeries do you perform/year?
🔹 Do you use intraoperative PTH monitoring?
🔹 What are the chances I’ll need another surgery?

#PAM2026
https://t.co/Yg3uSMYOEQ

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

What kind of hyperparathyroidism do I have?

If calcium levels are normal and PTH elevated, it might not be *primary* hyperparathyroidism—it could be *secondary*.

📌 Look for the why behind abnormal labs! #PAM2026 #ParathyroidAwarenessMonth

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

🤔 Can I have primary hyperparathyroidism even if my calcium is “normal”?
Yes—you can. 📉📈

Sometimes calcium levels fluctuate or stay in the high-normal range, but elevated PTH tells the real story. Check out these typical labs. #PAM2026

[American Association of Endocrine Surgeons @TheAAES]

July is Parathyroid Awareness Month (#PAM)! Normal parathyroid glands are tiny – like a grain of rice. A parathyroid adenoma can be the size of a large blueberry or even a grape! #CheckYourCalcium #PAM2026 @AACE @Paratroupers