1979 Volume 70 Issue 5 Pages 546-552
From 1963 to 1977, 101 patients underwent adrenal surgery at our clinic. Of these, 73 patients for whom time more than 2 years had elapsed after surgery were followed-up.
Twenty-six patients with primary aldosteronism caused by adrenal adenoma had unilateral adrenalectomy. One was lost to follow-up. One died of unknown cause 2 years after operation. The remaining 24 patients are living and engaging in ordinary activity. Blood pressure has almost been normalized in all patients. Symptoms and signs referrable to primary aldosteronism have disappeared in all patients.
Out of 14 patients with pheochromocyuoma, 12 had a single adrenal tumor removed by adrenalectomy and contralateral tumor extirpation, and one with multiple pheochromocytoma had unilateral adrenalectomy followed by tumor extirpation. One died of diabetes mellitus 2 years after operation. Hypertension and symptoms have disappeared in 11 patients, but they have recurred in 2 patients.
Adrenal cortical adenoma was the cause of Cushing's syndrome in 16 patients who had unilateral adrenalectomy. One patient died one week after operation. Hypertension and symptoms have disappeared except in one patient. Two-thirds of the patients failed to discontinue steroid replacement therap
Out of 14 patients with Cushing's syndrome by adrenal cortical hyperplasia, 11 underwent bilateral adrenalectomy. Eight of these have no hypertension or symptoms on corticosteroid replacement and are engaging in ordinary activity, but one patient has persistent hypertension. Nelson's syndrome has developed in the remaining 2 patients. One patient had subtotal adrenalectomy and has no hypertension or symptoms. Two patients had unilateral adrenalectomy combined with pituitary irradiation. One died of pneumonia 8 years and 5 months after operation. The other one is free from any symptoms and signs.
One patient with Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal carcinoma had laparotomy and died of liver metastasis.
One patient with adrenogenital syndrome due to adrenal adenoma had adrenalectomy. Hypertension and hursutism has subsided gradually and has regular menstruation.
