Two case reports of bilateral adrenal myelolipomas

Primary adrenal myelolipoma is a rare, non-functioning adrenal benign tumor that is composed of mature adipose tissue and a variable amount of haemopoietic elements. Clinically, it is difficult to get diagnosed with adrenal myelolipoma because the patient usually doesn't have obvious symptoms and signs in early stage. In the present study, two cases of primary bilateral adrenal myelolipomas are reported. Clinical presentation, imaging diagnostic features, histopathological changes and surgical treatments of the two patients are discussed. Preoperative diagnostic imaging examinations (B-mode ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging sans) assisted getting a prediction diagnosis of bilateral adrenal myelolipomas. A two-stage surgery was used to successfully excise bilateral adrenal myelolipomas in the two patients. Conventional open adrenalectomy was applied to remove the adrenal myelolipomas greater than 6 cm, and laparoscopic adrenalectomy was performed to excise the adrenal tumors smaller than 6 cm. Bilateral adrenal myelolipomas of the two patients were finally confirmed by postoperative histopathological examinations. Understanding clinical, imaging diagnostic and histopathological features of bilateral adrenal myelolipomas will facilitate timely diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Surgical removal of bilateral adrenal myelolipomas is safe, curative and beneficial. The two-stage surgery appears to be the best treatment option for the patients with bilateral adrenal myelolipomas because it achieves optimal treatment effectiveness with minimized sequelae.