Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2024 May 12;10(1):20551169241243012.
doi: 10.1177/20551169241243012. eCollection 2024 Jan-Jun.

Long-lasting hypoaldosteronism after adrenalectomy in a cat with hyperaldosteronism

Léa Bouccara  1 , Antoine Dunie-Merigot  1 , Laure Poujol  1 , Laurent Blond  1 , Franck Jolivet  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Long-lasting hypoaldosteronism after adrenalectomy in a cat with hyperaldosteronism

Léa Bouccara et al. JFMS Open Rep. .

Abstract

Case summary: A 10-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was presented with an abdominal mass, associated renal failure, chronic vomiting, anorexia and progressive polyuria/polydipsia lasting for 3 weeks. Clinical examination and initial blood work revealed azotaemia, hypokalaemia and hypertension. Abdominal ultrasound showed an adrenal mass with a diameter of 3 cm near the right kidney. High serum aldosterone suggested primary hyperaldosteronism. Surgery enabled identification of the mass and its excision along with the right adrenal gland. Histologically, carcinoma of the adrenal cortex was diagnosed. Postoperatively, an increase in serum creatinine and potassium, along with a low serum aldosterone, led to a diagnosis of hypoaldosteronism. Mineralocorticoid therapy for 6 months was necessary, resulting in clinical and biological improvement.

Relevance and novel information: To our knowledge, this case describes the longest-lasting reported secondary hypoaldosteronism in a cat, after unilateral adrenalectomy for an adrenal carcinoma with hyperaldosteronism.

Keywords: Hypokalaemia; endocrinology; surgical management; systemic hypertension.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Feline abdominal ultrasound. The double arrow shows a right adrenal mass measuring 3.5 cm
Figure 2
Figure 2
Feline abdominal ultrasound. The arrow shows a small left adrenal gland (approximately 1 cm)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Abdominal CT examination, parasagittal image. The arrow shows a mass measuring 5–6 cm, encompassing the right kidney close to the vena cava and aorta
Figure 4
Figure 4
Abdominal CT examination, dorsal image. The arrow shows a mass measuring 5–6 cm, encompassing the right kidney
Figure 5
Figure 5
A right adrenal mass after surgery, which measured 5 cm, isolated from the right kidney and vessels
Figure 6
Figure 6
Histological analysis of an adrenal mass at 400× magnification reveals infiltration of the renal capsule by a nodular neoformation that is non-encapsulated and poorly delineated. Tumour proliferation closely mimics the endocrinoid architecture of the corticoadrenal region, with small nests juxtaposed with well-differentiated tumour epithelial cells. These findings strongly suggest corticoadrenal carcinoma
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a) Serum creatinine, (b) serum potassium and (c) Na:k ratio vs time graph. Day 0 is the cat’s first presentation; the arrow is on the day of the surgery. The asterisk represents desoxycorticosterone pivalate injections
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Goncalves JA, Barrros R, Ferreira B, et al.. Severe hypoaldosteronism after unilateral adrenalectomy for primary hyperaldosteronism. Endocrine Abstracts 2017; 49. DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.49.EP30.
    1. Shrikrishna N, Koko N, Jones E, et al.. Case of prolonged hypoaldosteronism after unilateral adrenalectomy for Conn’s syndrome. Endocrine Abstracts 2016; 44. DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.44.EP9.
    1. Yorke E, Stafford S, Holmes D, et al.. Aldosterone deficiency after unilateral adrenalectomy for Conn’s syndrome: a case report and literature review. Int J Surg Case Rep 2015; 7: 141–144. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Daniel G, Mahony OM, Markovich JE, et al.. Clinical findings, diagnostics and outcome in 33 cats with adrenal neoplasia (2002–2013). J Feline Med Surg 2016; 18: 77–84. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Niessen SJM. Hyperaldosteronism in cats. Proceedings of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress, Cape Town, South Africa, 16 September 2014.

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources