Bilateral adrenal myelolipomas in a woman with chronic anticoagulation, postmenopausal uterine bleeding, primary hyperparathyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Abstract

Adrenal myelolipomas are rare, usually benign unilateral tumors. Their management has controversially been discussed. The authors here present a 53-year-old African American female Jehovah's witness with postmenopausal uterine bleeding on chronic anticoagulation and episodic right flank pain who was found to have bilateral myelolipomas in addition to primary hyperparathyroidism. In collaboration with gynecology, midline laparotomy was performed to remove uterus and both ovaries in addition to the right adrenal gland for a 62 × 79 mm myelolipoma. An open biopsy of the left adrenal mass measuring 42 × 43 mm revealed myelolipoma and ruled out malignancy. Pathology confirmed bilateral myelolipomas, endometrial polyps, and leiomyomata uteri. After an uneventful recovery, the patient then underwent a right inferior parathyroidectomy for parathyroid adenoma. This case illustrates the challenges in deciding when to surgically intervene for bilateral adrenal myelolipoma and, for the first time, associates various other endocrinopathies, although no known endocrine neoplasia syndrome variant was present.

• Authors: Rachel N Saunders, Christian A Koch, Kathryn B Brown, Frances J Hairston, William P Daley, Naveed Ahmed, Wesley B Vanderlan
• Journal: The American journal of the medical sciences (Am J Med Sci) Vol. 346 Issue 1 Pg. 82-5 (Jul 2013) ISSN: 1538-2990 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23426084 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adrenal Gland Neoplasms (complications, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging)
• Blood Coagulation Disorders (complications)
• Chronic Disease
• Female
• Humans
• Hyperparathyroidism, Primary (complications, diagnosis)
• Hyperthyroidism (complications, diagnosis)
• Middle Aged
• Myelolipoma (complications, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed