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.
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