Remission of persistent hypertension and hypokalaemia following redo adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism - case report

We report on a case of a 67-year-old male who was referred to our care with persistent aldosteronism post adrenalectomy. Biochemical failure after surgery is rare after surgery for primary aldosteronism (PA). Persistent hypokalaemia and raised aldosteronism is an indication of treatment failure after surgery. Causes of failure may be multiple aldosterone producing nodules or diffuse hyperplasia, inappropriate or incomplete lateralization studies, presence of CACNA1D -mutated aldosterone producing adenomas (APAs) and incomplete or partial adrenalectomy. In our case the persistent disease was imaged with METOMIDATE PET as the patient had a previous history of adrenal vein clipping during index surgery. The patient underwent reoperative adrenalectomy and was cured of hypokalaemia and hypertension, despite a long duration of his disease. This case highlights some of the reasons for biochemical failure and work up of the patient for reoperative surgery.