[Adrenal cortex adenomas. A retrospective series of twenty cases]

The authors report 20 cases of adrenal cortex tumours which were collected over a period of 12 years (1984-1995). Sixty five per cent of patients were females. They were aged between 27 months and 85 years with a mean of 40 years. Clinical symptoms were dominated by hypertension (11 cases). Seven cases were discovered incidentally and a precocious puberty syndrome presented in the form of 2 cases. Surgery was performed in 18 cases. Adrenalectomy was performed in 16 cases and tumor removal in 2 others. Four patients underwent other procedures such as nephrectomy or splenectomy. Three adrenal tumors were considered to be malignant. Postoperative follow-up was marked by two deaths; otherwise the postoperative course was uneventful.