Adrenal gland surgery. Preoperative location of lesions, histologic findings and outcome of surgery.

The accuracy of various techniques for preoperative location of adrenal lesions was studied in 55 consecutive cases, and the perioperative course and outcome of surgery were analyzed. CT correctly located 94% of all adrenal tumours, was less accurate (42%) in hyperplasia and gave no false-positive results. Selective angiography revealed 75% of the tumours, but was likewise diagnostically inadequate in adrenal hyperplasia. Adrenal venous sampling correctly located 80% of tumours and of hyperplasia. In hyperplasia it was the single most successful procedure for detecting the site of adrenal hyperfunction. Phlebography gave misleading information in almost 45% of cases. The perioperative complications included splenic rupture necessitating splenectomy (3 cases), superficial wound infection (2), pneumonia (4) and subphrenic abscess (1). There were no perioperative deaths. The study indicated CT to be the principal procedure for preoperative location of adrenal disorders. In some cases with adrenal hyperfunction, venous sampling should be added. Adrenal surgery can be performed with low morbidity and no mortality and with favourable long-term outlook in cases of benign lesion.