Microwave ablation of the adrenal gland: experimental study and clinical application.

Objective To evaluate the heating effect of microwave irradiation on the dog adrenal gland and to assess the clinical feasibility of microwave ablation of adrenal tumours. Materials and methods The thermal distribution and histology were evaluated after dog adrenal glands were irradiated at different intensities with microwaves. Irradiation at 70 W for 30 s was also performed, after laparotomy, on the adrenal tumour of a patient with primary aldosteronism. Results Microwave irradiation at 70 W for 30 s provided a sufficiently high temperature to produce coagulation within a 5mm radius of the microwave electrode. The adrenal tumour in the patient with primary aldosteronism was coagulated successfully by this dose of microwave irradiation. Conclusion Microwave ablation of the adrenal gland may be clinically applicable in the treatment of adrenal tumours.