BADx is relatively safe and provides adequate success. Excess mortality within the first year after surgery suggests that intensive clinical care for patients after BADx is warranted.

Objective: Our aim was to review short-and long-term outcomes of patients treated with bilateral adrenalectomy (BADx) in ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome. Methods: We reviewed the literature and analysed our experience with 53 patients treated with BADx since 1990 in our institution. Results: BADx is considered if ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome is refractory to other treatment modalities. In Cushing's disease (CD), BADx is mainly used as an ultima ratio after transsphenoidal surgery and medical therapies have failed. In these cases, the time span between the first diagnosis of CD and treatment with BADx is relatively long (median 44 months). In ectopic Cushing's syndrome, the time from diagnosis to BADx is shorter (median 2 months), and BADx is often performed as an emergency procedure because of life-threatening complications of severe hypercortisolism. In both situations, BADx is relatively safe (median surgical morbidity 15%; median surgical mortality 3%) and provides excellent control of hypercortisolism; Cushing's-associated signs and symptoms are rapidly corrected, and co-morbidities are stabilised. In CD, the quality of life following BADx is rapidly improving, and long-term mortality is low. Specific long-term complications include the development of adrenal crisis and Nelson's syndrome. In ectopic Cushing's syndrome, long-term mortality is high but is mostly dependent on the prognosis of the underlying malignant neuroendocrine tumour. Conclusion: BADx is a relatively safe and highly effective treatment, and it provides adequate control of long-term co-morbidities associated with hypercortisolism.European Journal of Endocrinology (2015) 173, M23-M32 Invited Author's profile Prof. Martin Heinrich Reincke is Director of the Medizinische Klinik and Poliklinik IV, Ludwig-MaximiliansUniversität München, and Chair of the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology. His research specialities include adrenal physiology and pathophysiology, endocrine hypertension, pituitary disease, mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid action and stress research. Professor Reincke heads a research team that specifically explores the prevalence and relevance of Cushing's syndrome at the epidemiological, clinical, genetic and molecular levels. The research teams of his clinic have particular expertise in assay development and validation for endocrine disease and in the development of genetically manipulated animals as models for human adrenal disease.

Time to recovery of adrenal function is dependent on the underlying etiology of CS.

Objective: Bilateral adrenalectomy (BADX) is an important treatment option for patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS). Our aim is to analyze the long-term outcomes, surgical, biochemical, and clinical as well as morbidity and mortality, of patients who underwent BADX. Design: A total of 50 patients who underwent BADX since 1990 in two German centers were identified. Of them, 34 patients had Cushing's disease (CD), nine ectopic CS (ECS), and seven ACTH-independent bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (BAH). Methods: Standardized follow-up examination was performed in 36 patients with a minimum follow-up time of 6 months after BADX and a median follow-up time of 11 years. Results: Surgical morbidity and mortality were 6 and 4% respectively. All patients were found to be in remission after BADX. Almost all Cushing's-specific comorbidities except for psychiatric diseases improved significantly. Health-related quality of life remained impaired in 45.0% of female and 16.7% of male patients compared with a healthy population. The median number of adrenal crises per 100 patient-years was four. Nelson tumor occurred in 24% of CD patients after a median time span of 51 months. Long-term mortality after 10 years was high in ECS (44%) compared with CD (3%) and BAH (14%). Conclusions: BADX is an effective and relatively safe treatment option especially in patients with CD. The majority of patients experience considerable improvement of Cushing's symptoms.