Successful transcatheter arterial embolization for ruptured adrenocortical tumor in a pediatric patient

Adrenocortical tumors (ACTs) are rare in children and should be treated as malignant tumors. A 12-year-old female patient was referred to our institute for acute abdomen and hypovolemic shock. She had symptoms of virilization, including lowered voice, beard growth, and hirsutism. An elevated level of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate was observed, and computed tomography scan showed a large left adrenal mass with massive hemorrhage. Emergency transcatheter arterial embolization was successfully performed using N-buthyl-2-cyanoacrylate as an embolic material. She underwent surgical resection on the following day. Histopathological analysis showed strong degeneration of the tumor and its necrosis, and the tumor was diagnosed as ACT of unknown grade. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a ruptured ACT treated with transcatheter arterial embolization in a pediatric patient.