The frequency of postoperative hypoglycemia after pheochromocytoma surgery is decreasing.

BACKGROUND: Hypoglycemia after pheochromocytoma resection is one of the most common postoperative complications, with a reported incidence of 12%-43%. In recent years, we have rarely experienced postoperative hypoglycemia after pheochromocytoma surgery at our institution. We reviewed our own experience and examined factors associated with postoperative hypoglycemia in pheochromocytoma patients. METHODS: We collected and retrospectively reviewed medical information from 53 patients with pheochromocytoma who underwent initial surgery in our department between 1996 and 2022, who did not receive steroids in the perioperative period and received the same alpha-blocker preoperatively. Subjects were divided into two groups by the midpoint of the study period: Group 1 (G1), 1996-2009; and Group 2 (G2), 2010-2022. The two groups were compared. RESULTS: Hypoglycemia occurred significantly less often in G2 (0 patients, 0%) than in G1 (7 patients, 28%; p = 0.003). Preoperative diabetes was significantly less frequent in G2 (2 patient, 7.1%) than in G1 (8 patients, 32%; p = 0.03). Preoperative alpha-blocker dosage was significantly higher in G2 than in G1 (p = 0.04). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only alpha-blockers dosage was significantly associated with the occurrence of postoperative hypoglycemia (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The current study suggest that the alpha-blocker dosage might be related to the lower incidence of postoperative hypoglycemia in Pheochromocytoma patients.

Risk factors for mediastinal lymph node metastasis and lung metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients: who benefits from preoperative computed tomography?

In papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with mediastinal lymph nodes (LN) and lung metastases, adding preoperative computed tomography (CT) to ultrasound is useful for planning surgery. We identified risk factors (RFs) for mediastinal lymph node metastasis (MLNM) and lung metastasis in PTC patients. Frequencies of MLNM and lung metastases were compared in 478 patients. Relative risk (RR) was calculated based on RFs. MLNM and lung metastases were detected in 1.2% and 3.3% of patients, respectively. cT3-4, cN1, central LN metastasis, and lateral LN metastasis were RFs for MLNM in all patients (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.01) and older patients (age: ≥55 years) (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05). cT3-4, cN1, gross extrathyroidal extension, central LN metastasis, and lateral LN metastasis were RFs for lung metastasis in all patients (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.01, p < 0.01, respectively). cN1 and gross extrathyroidal extension, central LN metastasis, and lateral LN metastasis were RFs in older patients (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.01), while lateral LN metastasis was an RF for lung metastasis in those of <55 years of age (younger patients) (p < 0.05). No MLNM was observed in cT1-2cN0 PTC patients, who accounted for 50.5% of patients included in the MLNM analysis. No lung metastasis was present in cT1-2cN0 PTC patients, who accounted for 50.5% of the patients included in the lung metastasis analysis. PTC patients with cT3-4 and cN1 have an increased risk of MLNM and lung metastasis. RFs differed between older and younger patients. Preoperative neck and chest CT are not necessary for PTC patients with ultrasound-diagnosed as cT1-2cN0.