Author(s):
Monteiro, AM 
; Alves, M ; Souto, S ; LuÃs, D ; Silva, AI ; Marques, O
Date: 2014
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.23/667
Origin: Repositório Científico do Hospital de Braga
Subject(s): Neoplasias das Glândulas Suprarrenais; Ganglioneuroma
Description
Introduction: The adrenal ganglioneuroma are rare, benign and well differentiated tumors that arise from neural crest tissue. Most patients with adrenal ganglioneuroma are asymptomatic, and most of these are non-secreting tumors. They are usually found incidentally on abdominal imaging study for another reason.
Case: A 53-year-old female, with a history of hypertension diagnosed at age 30, dyslipidaemia, depressive disorder and hysterectomy for uterine prolapse. Medicated with spironolactone, potassium, atorvastatin, omeprazole, fluoxetine and lorazepam. History of repeat hospitalizations in the Internal Medicine Service for recurrent hypokalaemia.
During the investigation of hypertension and hypokalaemia, a hypodense nodule in the left adrenal gland was detected on abdominal CT. She was referred to our service of Endocrinology due to suspected primary aldosteronism. She presented with asthenia, anorexia, cramps and muscle aches with a few months of evolution. Physical examination demonstrated no significant finding. Adrenal CT showed a left adrenal with hypodense nodule with 3 cm. Abdominal-pelvic MRI revealed a left adrenal with complex cystic mass with thick walls, where it identifies a mural nodule with 11×7 mm, questioning the possibility of tumor or pseudocyst cystic degeneration, and of considering their surgical excision. Endocrine tests were normal.
Left adrenalectomy was performed by laparoscopy. The histological diagnosis was adrenal ganglioneuroma. Nephrology consultation for investigation of hypokalemia excluded renal interstitial disease with potassium loss. Currently, she attends Psychiatric consultation on suspicion Munchausen syndrome.
Conclusion: We present this case due to the rarity of the clinical entity and the clinical presentation, which initially pointed us to another diagnosis. Ganglioneuromas are generally non-secreting tumors, and most patients are asymptomatic at diagnosis, as in the case presented. The prognosis of patients who underwent complete tumor resection is excellent.
