Dr. Karen Devon

 

Patients Sought for Parathyroid Transplant Surgery

The surgical team at the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto is seeking five patients who may be eligible for a parathyroid transplant due to very low calcium after thyroid surgery that causes severe symptoms. Last year, the team at UHN performed the first parathyroid transplant for a patient who suffered from severe hypoparathyroidism. The team successfully implanted parathyroid tissue retrieved from a deceased donor into the recipient’s forearm and placed her on immunosuppressive medication. Until then, while doctors had attempted similar approaches, it’s believed no other teams had before performed such a transplant.  This was featured on CTV https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/canadian-patient-receives-groundbreaking-treatment-for-a-disabling-disorder-with-a-parathyroid-transplant-into-her-arm-1.6160013 and in the Toronto Star https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/12/04/the-patient-turned-to-google-the-surgeon-was-tagged-on-facebook-and-the-transplant-was-a-north-american-first.html and here https://hospitalnews.com/rare-transplant-offers-mother-of-four-a-future-now/
If you have severe hypoparathyroidism not managed by medications alone, as a result of thyroid surgery and wish to be considered for this transplant surgery, please contact:

Karen Devon MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS

Associate Professor, Department of Surgery and Joint Center for Bioethics, University of Toronto

Endocrine Surgery, Women’s College Hospital and University Health Network

Office: 416-323-6400 #7352

Fax: 416-323-6308

Email: karen.devon@wchospital.ca

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