Parathyroid adenoma causing hypercalcemic crisis masquerading as acute abdomen in a 7-year-old: a case report.
Hypercalcemic crisis from a parathyroid adenoma mimicked acute appendicitis in a child
Parathyroid adenoma causing hypercalcemic crisis masquerading as acute abdomen in a 7-year-old: a case report.
Hypercalcemic crisis from a functioning parathyroid adenoma (parathyroid adenoma) is exceptionally rare in prepubertal children and typically presents with a non-specific complaint such as polyuria or lethargy.
We report a 7-year-old girl who was urgently referred for acute, colicky abdominal pain and repeated vomiting, which clinically mimicked acute appendicitis.
Her initial manifestation was an acute abdomen rather than renal or neuropsychiatric symptoms.
The case underscores that functioning parathyroid adenoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with unexplained gastrointestinal distress, and illustrates that timely diagnosis and focused parathyroidectomy can effectively reverse biochemical abnormalities, alleviate skeletal symptoms, and mitigate the risk of serious long-term complications.
Parathyroid adenoma represents an uncommon yet manageable cause of hypercalcemic crisis in pediatric patients.
Timely assessment of serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels in individuals presenting with unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms-such as nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain-facilitates swift diagnosis, thereby reducing the need for unnecessary diagnostic procedures like extensive imaging or invasive tests.
Surgical resection of the parathyroid adenoma is the first-line treatment. Postoperatively, prevention of hungry bone syndrome and long-term follow-up are required.