Single-incision laparoscopic adrenalectomy in a patient with acute hypokalemic paralysis due to primary hyperaldosteronism
Lütfi Soylu1, Oğuz Uğur Aydın1, Mustafa Cesur2, Serdar Özbaş1, Selçuk Hazinedaroğlu3
1Clinic of General Surgery, Private Ankara Güven Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
2Clinic of Endocrinology, Private Ankara Güven Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
3Department of General Surgery, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Abstract
Acute hypokalemic paralysis is a relatively rare cause of acute weakness. It may resolve spontaneously; however, it may be a potential life-threatening condition. Hypertension may be considered the most important finding in combination with hypokalemic paralysis for raising the suspicion of primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA). A 55-year-old hypertensive Mexican woman was admitted to the Emergency Unit with a sudden onset of generalized paralysis. An endocrinological workup and an abdominal magnetic resonance imaging revealed PHA with a 1.5 cm left adrenal tumor. After preoperative medication, left adrenalectomy was performed with single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS). The duration of the surgery was 45 min, and no postoperative complication was encountered. The patient was discharged after 24 h. Hypokalemic paralysis may be due to different conditions, but it may raise the suspicion of PHA in combination with a history of generally mild hypertension. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the preferred operation for unilateral adrenal adenomas that cause PHA. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery is a step-forward technique that improves the cosmesis, decreases access-related morbidity, and increases the postoperative recovery. We report a case with acute hypokalemic paralysis due to PHA and treated with SILS.
Keywords: Hypokalemic paralysis, hypokalemia, single-incision laparoscopic surgery
Cite this paper as:Soylu L, Aydın OU, Cesur M, Özbaş S, Hazinedaroğlu S. Single-incision laparoscopic adrenalectomy in a patient with acute hypokalemic paralysis due to primary hyperaldosteronism. Turk J Surg 2017; 33: 311-314.
Written informed consent was obtained from patient who participated in this case.
Externally peer-reviewed.
Concept - L.S.; Design - O.U.A.; Supervision - M.C., S.H., S.Ö.; Funding - L.S., M.C.; Data Collection and/or Processing - O.U.A., S.Ö.; Analysis and/or Interpretation - L.S., M.C., O.U.A., S.H.; Literature Review - L.S., O.U.A.; Writer - L.S.; Critical Review - L.S., O.U.A., M.C.; Other - S.Ö., S.H.
No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.
The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.