[Preparation of the adrenal gland for autografting in Itsenko-Cushing's disease]

The paper is devoted to surgical treatment of patients with Itsenko-Cushing disease. Altogether 16 patients after adrenalectomy with subsequent autotransplantation of the gland on a vascular pedicle were investigated. The purpose was to study a morphological picture of the gland in ischemia and the determination of time required for blood flow recovery in the gland. Light and electron microscopy, radiological and clinical methods were employed. Emerging of the removed gland before autotransplantation into a nutrient medium for 30 min. (before blood flow recovery in a graft) was shown to damage neither secretory cells nor the components of the microcirculatory bed. The extracorporal condition of the gland for 1 h was accompanied by an increase in autolytic processes, especially in the medullary substance and deep layers of reticulated cortical zone, but most of the adrenocorticocytes preserved their viability and structural features of steroid activity, which became an indication for effective autotransplantation of the adrenal gland on a vascular pedicle in the treatment of Itsenko-Cushing disease.