Subtotal adrenalectomy in the treatment of benign adrenal neoplasms

Abstract

Aim. To evaluate the results of subtotal adrenalectomy in patients with benign adrenal neoplasms. Materials and methods. A total of 111 patients with benign adrenal tumors were operated in the clinic. Depending on the surgeon volume, the patients were divided into 2 study groups: the main group consisted of patients after subtotal adrenalectomy (n = 55) and the comparison group comprised patients after total adrenalectomy (n = 56). Indicators of endocrine and blood electrolyte profiles were determined for all the patients, general clinical blood and urine examinations were performed at the time of admission and after the surgical treatment. The analysis of instrumental methods of examination with an assessment of the tumor malignant potential was also performed. Indicators of quality of life (QOL) of patients were assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire at admission, 6, 12 and 24 months following the surgery. Statistical analysis of the study results was carried out using the Statistica 6.1 software and Excel-2010 software (with the Attestat add-on) using the parametric and non-parametric statistical methods. Results. After subtotal adrenalectomy, a decrease in adrenal insufficiency cases among silent tumors and faster recovery of the adrenal glands functional activity in hormone-active neoplasms (P < 0.05) were detected, compared with the results after total adrenalectomy. QOL scores increased on all the scales by 20.4 points (95 % CI 7.4–33.5), (P < 0.05) 12 months after subtotal resection of the adrenal glands, while improvements in the indicators were less pronounced in the group of patients after total adrenalectomy. Conclusions. The incidence of adrenal insufficiency in the early postoperative period in patients with hormone-active tumors was 5.2 % after organ-preserving surgery and 11.9 % – after total adrenalectomy. After 12 months, all the patients who underwent surgery for adrenal neoplasms showed a moderate improvement in the quality of life. At the same time, after subtotal adrenalectomy, indicators of mental and physical health increased by 20.4 points (95 % CI 7.4–33.5), compared to those after total adrenalectomy, which were only 8.1 (95 % CI -6.7–22.9). Subtotal adrenal resection is an effective method of surgical treatment for benign adrenal tumors.

Keywords

• adrenal tumor
• adrenalectomy
• surgical minimally invasive operation
• quality of life
• adrenal insufficiency