Enlargement of accessory spleen after splenectomy can mimic a solitary adrenal tumor.
We report on a 72-year-old woman who had previously undergone splenectomy and subsequently presented with an incidental 5-cm adrenal mass. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy was performed, and the mass was identified to be an accessory spleen. Remaining accessory splenic tissue may undergo compensatory hypertrophy after splenectomy. When a biochemically inactive, well-marginated ovoid adrenal mass is identified in a postsplenectomy patient, consideration should be given to the presence of accessory spleen. In such cases, radionuclide imaging with technetium sulfur colloid may provide information that would confirm the presence of accessory normal tissue and would therefore support observation rather than surgical resection.
Rosenblatt
Gregory S
GS
Department of Surgery, Division of Urological Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA. grrosen@aol.com
Luthringer
Daniel J
DJ
Fuchs
Gerhard J
GJ
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000150:complications; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology*; D013156:Splenectomy