[Current indications of bilateral adrenalectomy in Cushing's syndrome: discussion of personal experience].
Since 1975 we have observed 68 patients with Cushing syndrome, 48 out of which with an ACTH-independent disease and 20 with an ACTH-dependent one, due to hypophisary adenoma. Out of the latter group of patients, which had a relapse of the disease after a previous trans-sfenoidal procedure, 16 underwent an open bilateral adrenalectomy and 4 a laparoscopic monolateral or bilateral adrenalectomy. Patients from the former group had an open or laparoscopic adrenalectomy, or a bilateral adrenalectomy in case of the rare bilateral diseases, as McCune-Albright syndrome. All patients had a complete healing, except for 2 patients affected by McCune-Albright syndrome who died for cardiopulmonary complications. We conclude that bilateral adrenalectomy plays a fundamental role in the treatment of Cushing disease, after the failure of the trans-sfenoidal procedures. This surgical therapy has been certainly improved by the introduction of the laparoscopic techniques, which allowed us to exert bilateral adrenalectomies in two times with a significant reduction of perioperative morbidity and mortality because of the less severe traumatism and the absence of addisonian complications.
Borrelli
A
A
Bergamini
C
C
Lassig
R
R
Valeri
A
A
Borrelli
D
D
D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone