title: Nontraumatic rupture of an adrenal gland tumor causing intra-abdominal or retroperitoneal hemorrhage in four dogs.
abstract: Diagnosis and surgical management of intra-abdominal or retroperitoneal hemorrhage in 4 dogs with rupture of an adrenal gland tumor were determined. All 4 dogs were lethargic and weak with pale mucous membranes on initial examination. Three dogs did not have any history of clinical signs of hyperadrenocorticism or pheochromocytoma prior to examination. In 3 of the dogs, a mass in the area of the adrenal gland was identified with ultrasonography prior to surgery. All dogs developed ventricular premature contractions before or during anesthesia. Three dogs survived adrenalectomy; 1 dog was euthanatized during surgery because of an inability to achieve adequate hemostasis. The remaining 3 dogs all survived more than 5 months after surgery; 1 was euthanatized 9 months after surgery because of rupture of a hepatic mass. On the basis of these results, we suggest that hemodynamic stabilization followed by adrenalectomy is the treatment of choice for dogs with nontraumatic rupture of an adrenal gland tumor and resulting life-threatening hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Whittemore
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kyles
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Hardie
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Feldman
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000662:veterinary; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary