Purpose
Many patients with small adrenal masses undergo total adrenalectomy. We evaluate the outcomes of partial adrenalectomy by performing a comprehensive literature review.
Materials and Methods
We performed a Pubmed search of literature published in the English language using the following queries: “partial adrenalectomy” and “adrenal sparing surgery”, and identified 317 and 155 articles, respectively. We excluded case reports or series containing less than 5 patients, articles not focused on surgical management, and those that did not indicate perioperative outcomes. The remaining articles were cross-referenced by author and institution in order to eliminate studies with redundant cases. Demographics, diagnosis, tumor characteristics, perioperative and functional outcomes, as well as recurrence data was collected when available.
Results
Twenty-two articles from 22 first authors met our inclusion criteria describing outcomes of 417 patients. There is an increasing trend towards utilization of partial adrenalectomy worldwide over the past 20 years. Partial adrenalectomy is most commonly performed for Conn's Syndrome, followed by pheochromocytoma. Most of the procedures are performed laparoscopically with minimal morbidity. The recurrence rate is only at 3% and over 90% of patients remain steroid independent.
Conclusions
Surgical outcomes and perioperative complications of partial adrenalectomy are similar to those reported for total adrenalectomy. When partial adrenalectomy is performed for small adrenal lesions, the rate of malignancy is negligible, the recurrence rate is low, and the vast majority of patients remain steroid independent at long-term follow up. These data strongly support acceptance of partial adrenalectomy as a first line treatment for small adrenal masses.
Summary
Objective
To evaluate the outcomes and timing of intervention for adrenal sparing surgery in patients left with a solitary adrenal remnant after bilateral adrenal surgeries.
Subjects/Patients and Methods
Patients were included in the study if they had undergone bilateral adrenal surgery as a treatment for pheochromocytoma and were left with a solitary adrenal remnant. Perioperative, functional, and oncologic outcomes were evaluated on 21 patients that met the inclusion criteria.
Results
There was minimal perioperative morbidity and no perioperative mortality. After a median follow up of 21 months (range 3–143) there were two cases of persistent disease. Ten patients (48%) required steroid supplementation upon discharge with 4 subsequently discontinuing steroid supplementation. Patients were more likely to require steroid supplementation postoperatively if they underwent simultaneous adrenalectomy and contralateral partial adrenalectomy, rather than staged procedures (86% versus 40%, p=0.02). Additionally, patients who underwent surgery for tumors greater than 4 cm were more likely to require long-term steroids than patients who underwent surgery for lesions less than 4 cm (75% versus 18%, p=0.05).
Conclusions
Patients left with a solitary adrenal remnant after bilateral adrenal surgery have low surgical morbidity, reasonable functional outcomes and low rates of recurrence at an intermediate follow-up period. A staged approach may decrease the immediate postoperative need for steroids, and intervention before the largest tumor reaches 4 cm may decrease the rate of long-term steroid dependence.
Objective: This study examined a set of patients who were symptomatic for low back pain and who had significant lumbar hypolordosis as assessed by visual evaluation of magnetic resonance images to investigate the frequency of comorbid paraspinal muscle spasms as determined via history or physical examination. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 50 patients who had significant hypolordosis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Cobb angle b20°) to determine whether they were positive for paraspinal muscle spasms by either history or physical examination. Results: Of the 50 patients with significant hypolordosis on MRI, 66% (33) had a history of paraspinal muscle spasms, 76% (38) had a positive physical examination for palpation of paraspinal muscle spasms, and 48% (24) were positive for both history and physical examination. Conclusions: This retrospective study suggests that most symptomatic patients with significant hypolordosis on lumbar MRI have a positive history or physical examination for paraspinal muscle spasm. Thus, MRI finding of significant hypolordosis (Cobb angle b20°) could potentially be a valuable tool in addition to medical history and physical examination in aiding clinicians in diagnosing paraspinal muscle spasms in symptomatic patients and in helping them to formulate appropriate and effective treatments.
Recent in vitro studies suggest that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibits early B cell differentiation; however, there is no evidence in the intact animal for a role for CGRP in B cell development. Here, we show that in vivo treatment of mice with CGRP reduces the number of IL-7 responsive B cell progenitors in bone marrow. A single CGRP treatment reduces IL-7-responsive B cell progenitors by up to 40% for up to 72 h. The reduction is dose-dependent and can be blocked by a CGRP receptor antagonist, CGRP(8-37). CGRP in serum following injection is highly elevated at 30 min but returns to basal levels by 4 h, suggesting that a single injection of CGRP has long-lasting effects on B cell development. This report provides the first direct in vivo evidence that CGRP, a neuropeptide with multiple effects on mature lymphocytes, also plays a regulatory role in early B cell development in the bone marrow.
Patients with symptomatic intracranial neuropathology such as atherosclerotic occlusive disease or unruptured aneurysms face high risks for morbidity and mortality. Magnetic resonance angiography of the circle of Willis is an important tool used to detect and diagnose intracranial neuropathology; however, recent changes to the Medicare local coverage determinations for this procedure threaten to compromise the physician's ability to deliver this current standard of care. Physicians can assume an important role in advocating for this lifesaving procedure on behalf of this vulnerable patient population.
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