Severe acute pancreatitis as a first symptom of primary hyperparathyroidism - A rare case report

A case of severe acute pancreatitis with normal values of serum calcium in a 59-year-old woman is presented. The patient was operated upon for chololithiasis and choledocholithiasis. No stones were found during the duct exploration. A parathyroid adenoma was suspected when serum calcium values were elevated postoperatively and a new acute episode of pancreatitis developed despite the presence of a Kehr catheter in the duct. After the excision of a parathyroid adenoma, serum calcium returned to normal. This case suggests a close relationship between hyperparathyroidism and acute pancreatitis and supports the suspicion of a hyperparathyroidism in cases of severe cute pancreatitis with normal serum calcium levels.