Classification and surgical treatment for 180 cases of adrenocortical hyperplastic disease

To review and discuss the diagnostic and surgical therapeutic methods of adrenocortical hyperplastic disease.

A retrospective analysis was done to 180 adrenocortical hyperplasia patients (74 males, 109 females, aged 6~76 (average 40.1). Studies were done to the relationship between patients' clinical characteristics, biochemical, endocrinological and imaging examination results, the therapeutic effects.

Among all 180 cases, there are 107 Cushing disease (CD), 19 ectopic adrenocorticotropin adrenal hyperplasia (EAAH), 28 adrenocorticotropin independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (AIMAH), 4 primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical hyperplasia (PPNAH), and 28 Idiopathic Hyperaldosteronism (IHA). Twenty-four-hour urinary free cortisol (24 h UFC) excretion of CD, EAAH, AIMAH and PPNAH patients were 95.2~535.7 µg (average 287.6 µg), 24.8~808.2 µg (average 307.9 µg), 102.5~3127.0 µg (average 852.5 µg), and 243.8~1124.6 µg (average 564.3 µg). Both low and high-dose dexamethasone suppression tests (DDST) were not suppressed in AIMAH, PPNAH and EAAH groups, but HDDST was suppressed in CD group. CT thin scanning results of 180 patients all showed enlargements in the affected side adrenal gland. Unilateral adrenalectomies were performed in 102 hypercortisolism cases. Local lesion excisions were done to 21 IHA patients. 57 patients had surgeries in both sides of the adrenal glands (39 bilateral total adrenalectomies, 16 total adrenalectomy in one side andsubtotal adrenalectomy in the other, 2 bilateral subtotal adrenalectomies). 106 (59%) patients were followed up for 4~158 (average 32) months.

Unilateral adrenalectomy was the first choice for operable adrenocortical hyperplasia patients. The operation mode for the other adrenal gland should be based on the type of hyperplasia and clinical observation.