Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy: A Cure for Male Pattern Baldness
January 2007
in “
Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England
”
Studysummary This case report describes a 64-year-old woman with male pattern hair loss and elevated testosterone levels, who was diagnosed with an androgen-secreting adrenal tumor and successfully treated with laparoscopic adrenalectomy.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
In 2007, a 64-year-old woman with male pattern hair loss was found to have extremely high testosterone levels of 22.3 nmol/l, far above the normal range of 0.0–2.9 nmol/l. This led to the diagnosis of an androgen-secreting adrenal tumor. She underwent a laparoscopic retroperitoneal right adrenalectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove the adrenal gland, and was discharged in less than 48 hours. Two weeks post-surgery, her testosterone levels had significantly dropped to 0.4 nmol/l, and her hair loss had stopped three weeks later. Eight weeks post-surgery, her testosterone levels were at 0.3 nmol/l. Histology suggested a benign adrenocortical adenoma, and she remained asymptomatic with no further hair loss six months post-surgery. The case highlighted the importance of screening women with male pattern baldness for testosterone-producing neoplasms.
