1 Sep 2015Article
Adrenal incidentalomas and subclinical Cushing syndrome: indications to surgery and results in a series of 26 laparoscopic adrenalectomies
Giuseppe Pisano 1Pietro Calò 1Enrico Erdas 1Francesca Pigliaru 2Stefano Piras 1Sandro Sanna 1Alessandro Manca 1Claudio Dazzi 1Angelo Nicolosi 1
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche, Università degli Studi, Cagliari, Italy
2 Unità Operativa Complessa di Endocrinologia, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Cagliari, Italy
Ann. Ital. Chir., 2015, 86(5), 406-412;
Published: 1 Sep 2015
Copyright © 2015 Annali Italiani di Chirurgia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Casual detection of an adrenal mass, the so called incidentaloma (AI) requires an in-depth analysis of imaging phenotype together with hormonal investigation, in order to evaluate both its potential malignancy and the occurrence of a preclinical condition of hypercortisolism (Subclinical Cushing Syndrome, SCS). Aim of the present work is to evaluate surgical indications and results of surgery in patients harbouring an AI with inapparent hypercortisolism. METHODS: The study has been carried on in a series of 26 Laparoscopic Adrenalectomies (LA) performed from January 2009 and January 2015. Indications to surgery included AI (11 cases), Cushing’s syndrome (7 cases), suspected metastases (5 cases) and Conn’s disease (3 cases). Six patients with AI had a SCS associated with variable forms of a metabolic syndrome: they were evaluated in detail analysing cortisol secretion and values of Arterial Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus and BMI before and after surgery. RESULTS: As far as SCS is concerned, LA was completed in 5 patients (one case converted). Pathology revealed 5 adenomas and one nodular hyperplasia. Four cases required oral cortisone administration at the discharge. At a mean follow-up of 33 months cortisol secretion returned to normal range in all patients; an improvement of metabolic condition was observed in 60, 25, and 50 per cent of hypertensive, diabetic and obese patients respectively. CONCLUSION: Indications to LA in case of AI and SCS is strongly supported by the presence of an associated metabolic syndrome. In spite of a limited number, our experience confirms the favourable results of surgery in such patients.
Keywords
- Adrenal incidentaloma
- Laparoscopic adrenalectomies
- Subclinical Cushing syndrome