Primary hyperparathyroidism after laser therapy to the larynx

Primary hyperparathyroidism in the pediatric population is rare. Ionizing radiation in childhood is a known risk factor for the development, years later, of primary hyperparathyroidism. However, to our knowledge, no cases have yet described the development of a parathyroid adenoma following nonionizing radiation. In this report, we describe a unique case of primary hyperparathyroidism that developed years after carbon dioxide laser treatments to the larynx. A 21-year-old Caucasian man was found to have hypercalcemia 2 years earlier on routine screening laboratory tests and was referred to the center for further evaluation and treatment. While this report cannot establish causality, a plausible suspect is the repeated exposure to carbon dioxide laser therapy as an etiology to the development of a parathyroid adenoma. This report might stimulate original caregivers to track children who have received carbon dioxide laser treatments into adulthood, which might reveal more cases of primary hyperparathyroidism years after laser therapy to the larynx.