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UCLA Health - Am I Too Old for Parathyroid Surgery? | UCLA Endocrine Center

Thumbnail of the video “UCLA Health - Am I Too Old for Parathyroid Surgery? | UCLA Endocrine Center”
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Author: UCLA Health
Categories: Health
Tags: health
Views: 2 · Last viewed: 2026-10-16 15:02 UTC

Short Summary

Main recommendation: According to Dr. Michael Yay, for most people with primary hyperparathyroidism, parathyroid surgery is worth considering regardless of age, because it protects bone health; he says the deciding factor is physiologic age (overall health) rather than chronologic age. Dr. Michael Yay of UCLA Health Endocrine Surgery says surgery is usually reasonable if life expectancy is more than 3 years. Only a small minority with serious heart, lung, liver, or neurological problems are poor candidates.

Key Points

  • Dr. Yay says that after surgery, most patients see bone mineral density increase over 2 to 5 years, meaning fewer major fractures, with benefits that can last a decade or more.
  • Age alone is not a reason to avoid surgery; many patients in their 80s and 90s have had successful operations, and each case is judged individually.
  • Physiologic age (how the body functions) matters more than birth date when judging whether surgery is worthwhile.
  • Dr. Yay estimates that more than 90%, perhaps closer to 95%, of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism are good surgical candidates.
  • Parathyroid surgery is rarely an emergency, so there is time to weigh the decision.

Details Worth Noting

  • Concrete instructions: The speaker gives no step-by-step preparation or dosing instructions. The actionable guidance is to assess your own health using three questions he asks patients: (1) Can you do your own shopping, cleaning, and cooking, and walk up two flights of stairs without becoming short of breath? (2) Do you have close relationships with family, friends, and community? (3) Are you making plans or looking forward to something in the future?
  • The worked example is a 60-year-old woman with osteoporosis or osteopenia who is otherwise healthy and active, with an average life expectancy of over 20 years, for whom surgery makes sense.
  • Osteopenia is described as an earlier stage of bone loss than osteoporosis.
  • Strong social connection and having future goals are presented as signs of longevity.
  • The speaker presents these points as his general clinical approach, not as a personal medical evaluation of any viewer.

Bottom Line

According to Dr. Yay, age by itself should not rule out parathyroid surgery; the decision should hinge on overall health, life expectancy, and the bone-protection benefits, and each person should discuss their individual case with a doctor.