NO SMALL PART

The TGH Parathyroid & Thyroid Institute off ers expertise found nowhere else

BY YVETTE C. HAMMETT

Four glands the size of rice grains regulate the amount of calcium the body needs for optimal function. Parathyroid glands are sensing receptors that can sometimes become benign tumors. Patients can experience feeling tired, hair loss, lack of sleep, sweating, and excessive urination, among other symptoms.

“They are a calcium-sensing receptor,” said Dr. José Lopez, who runs the Tampa General Hospital Parathyroid & Thyroid Institute alongside Dr. Douglas Politz. “Throughout the day, they sense where your calcium levels are. Most adults have calcium levels in the 9s.”

Lopez explained that problems within the parathyroid often start with a benign tumor. “That receptor that regulates calcium fails. Too much calcium is getting released, leading to excess calcium in the bloodstream,” which can lead to bone loss and cause kidney stones to develop, as well as renal insuffi ciency.

RIGHT NOW, WE PERFORM UP TO 20 SURGERIES A WEEK WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT 800 A YEAR. THAT IS EXPERT CARE YOU CAN TRUST.”

—DR. JOSÉ LOPEZ

From top: Dr. Douglas Politz and Dr. José Lopez run the Tampa General Hospital Parathyroid & Thyroid Institute, which is part of the Ear, Nose & Throat Institute.

Furthermore, about 30 percent of patients experiencing parathyroid issues also have a thyroid problem.

Most people likely have not even heard of the parathyroid glands, which are part of the endocrine system and located in the neck behind the thyroid. Because of their small size, having an expert surgeon perform the necessary operation to correct the problem is of the utmost importance.

L o p e z a n d P o l i t z a r e t w o o f t h e f o r e m o s t p a r a t h y r o i d s u r g e o n s i n t h e w o r l d . T h e y p r e v i o u s l y h a d t h e i r o w n p r i v a t e p r a c t i c e b e f o r e c o - f o u n d i n g t h e T G H P a r a t h y r o i d & T h y r o i d I n s t i t u t e . I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e 2 0 o r s o o p e r a t i o n s t h e y p e r f o r m o n p a r a t h y r o i d g l a n d s e a c h w e e k , L o p e z n o t e d t h a t t h e y a r e c o n s t a n t l y w o r k i n g w i t h p a t i e n t s t o “ c o r r e c t ” i s s u e s l e f t b e h i n d b y l e s s e x p e r i e n c e d s u r g e o n s .

Doing nothing to correct the problem of tumors of the parathyroid can lead to an increased risk of breast, colon, and prostate cancer and can decrease life expectancy by about fi ve years, Lopez said. “There is no medical treatment, only surgery.”

This operation was fi rst performed 100 years ago and required days of recovery in the hospital. Today, Lopez and Politz can complete the outpatient surgery in about half an hour, with the patient leaving within a couple of hours. “They have a small BandAid on their neck they can remove themselves,” said Lopez.

The majority of a patient’s symptoms will begin improving within two weeks to two months. “Once you have removed the tumor, these receptors start working again,” Lopez said. “If you were developing kidney stones, that usually stops. If you were having problems with [heart] arrhythmia, you may revert back to normal sinus rhythm.”

Of the four parathyroid glands, up to three and a half can be removed, meaning a patient only needs half of one parathyroid gland to regulate calcium in the body. The key is having a surgeon who is an expert in dealing with these very tiny glands, because “once the rice grains are gone, that’s it,” Lopez said. Knowing how to remove them without injuring those that will remain is vastly important. “Right now, we perform up to 20 surgeries a week which equates to about 800 a year. That is expert care you can trust.”

Madeleine Savoie traveled from North Palm Beach to TGH to have her parathyroid surgery and said she could not be more pleased with the results.

“I rave about Dr. Lopez,” Savoie said. “He is the most wonderful human being I ever met. I [had] so many tests and was encouraged to go to Tampa General Hospital,” because of its advanced center for parathyroid surgery. “I will recommend them to everyone I know. I was getting too much calcium and getting a lot of kidney stones. I still have some, but they don’t bother me. My surgery was done in March, and I have had no ill effects.”

Back in the summer of 2021, Line Mari Kristiansen said she had “pain everywhere” and trouble walking before traveling from Norway all the way to Tampa for parathyroid surgery. Thanks to the expert care provided by TGH, Kristiansen said she felt a difference immediately after surgery and then enjoyed a few walks on Pinellas County beaches before heading back to Norway.

“Fantastic, it’s like you couldn’t believe it before you experience it,” said Kristiansen in a Spectrum Bay News 9 report. “It’s like going from a lot of pain to like no pain. It’s like incredible.”

Both Lopez and Politz were called to pursue medicine in childhood, in part inspired by supporting ill family members in times of need; Lopez helped to care for two cousins with cerebral palsy, and Politz donated a kidney to his younger brother. Together, they have a combined 25 years of professional experience, resulting in superior surgical skills that are matched only by their compassion for their patients.

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