Giant symptomatic myelolipoma of the right adrenal gland: a case report.

Abstract

Adrenal myelolipoma is an uncommon tumour of the adrenal gland, usually unilateral, frequently associated with hypertension and obesity, with a benign biological behaviour and without hormonal activity, first described in 1905. The neoplasm consists of adipose tissue and myelopoietic cells of the bone marrow. These tumours have a very slow but continued growth and their volume and weight vary significantly from small lesions of a few grams to huge masses weighing up to several kilograms. If symptoms occur, surgery should be performed without delay, especially for large myelolipomas that are at high risk of spontaneous rupture with haemorrhage and life-threatening shock. In this report a case of a 43-year-old male with a 22 x 18 x 9 cm giant myelolipoma, weighing 3500 g and originating from the right adrenal gland is described. The large mass dislocating and compressing the inferior vena cava, was removed surgically. The early postoperative course and the late outcome were favourable without recurrence after 30 months. The different aetiological hypotheses of this rare neoplasm and its clinical features, diagnosis and treatment are discussed.