Endocrine Flashcards
Describe blood supply to the adrenal gland and how the right and left glands differ.
Arterial: 20-30 branches from the renal, arota, cranial abdominal and phenicoabdominal aa.
Venous: single branch
Left: renal v.
Right: vena cava
Describe the embryonic development of the adrenal gland?
Medulla: neural crest - essentially a symphathetic post synaptic ganglion
Cortex: mesdodermal cells from the genital ridges
Describe the layers of the adrenal gland and what they produce.
Zona glomerulosa - mineralocorticoids
zona fasciculata - glucocorticoids
zona reticularis - androgens (testosterone, androstenedione converted to estrogens and DHT in periperheral tissues)
Location of the left and right adrenal glands?
Left: Poas minor, transverse process L2
Right ventral to T13
Describe how corticosteroids and mineralocorticoids are transported in the blood.
Protein bound.
Cortisol: 75% transcortin, 10% albumin, 10% unbound
Aldosterone: 10% tanscortin, 50% albumin, 40% unbound
Pregnancy decreased transcortin
What is the half life of cortisol and aldosterone?
Cortisol: 60 minutes
Aldosterone: 20minutes
Both metabolized via liver
Effects of glucocorticoids (9)?
Stimulate: Inhibit:
hepatic gluconeogensis glucose uptake in perhiperal tissues
lipolysis protein synthesis
protein catabolism vasopressin (synthetic ADH)
increase GFR immune system
gastric acid secreation
Describe RAS and how related to aldosterone secretion?
How are catecholamines made?
In chromaffin cells:
Tyrosine and phenylalinine ⇒ dopa ⇒ dopamine ⇒ norepinephrine (20%) ⇒ epinephrine (80% excreated when symphathetic activation)
Metabolize by liver and kidney with 10 minute activity
What is the width of a normal adrenal gland on US?
Large breed dogs: 7.5mm
Small breed dogs: 6.0mm - (75% sens, 94% specific for PDH , Cho JVetSci 2011)
US criteria for an adrenal mass?
Maximum width > 1.5cm
Loses typical kidney bean shape
Asymetric in size
What characteristics of a functional cortisol secreating tumor?
Large size poss
Poss invasion/compression of vessels
CS of hyperadrenocorticism
Contralateral gland small, if not doesnt rule out
When is an ACTH stim test recommend?
Diagnose iatrogenic Cushings, Addisons or for trilostane testing.
Most specific test but not very sensitive - 20% in normal range, 20-30% in borderline range.
Name 3 tests for HAC testing.
Name 3 tests that can potentially differeniate PDH from adrenal.
HAC testing: LDDST, ACTH stim, UCCR
Differenitating: LDDST, HDDST, Baseling endogenous ACTH
Post-operative complications of cortisol secreating adrenal tumors
Cortisol induced immunosupression
Impaired wound healing
systemic hypertension
hypercoagulation
post-op Addisons
Pancreatitis
What is the MOA trilostane?
Competitive inhibitor of 3-ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (mediates adrenal conversion of pregnenolone to 17alpha-hydrooxyprogesterone = cortisol precursor)
Proposed mechanism of hyperadrenocortisim hypertension?
How to treat?
- Increased activation of angiotensin I
- Increased vascular responsiveness to cathecholamines
- decreased conc. of vasodilator prostaglandins
Treat with ACE inhibitors ⇒ decrease vasoconstriction and aldosterone
MOA phenoxybenazamine and recommended dose.
Side effects?
Alpha 2 Antagonist (aka receptor block)
Start at 0.5mg/kg and increase upto 2.5mg/kg or until blood pressure normal
GI, syncope, hypotension, lethargy/weakness
What anesthetic drugs should be avoided with suspected pheochromocytomas?
Potentiate catecholamines
arrhythmogenic
anticholenergics
affect apha receptors
Describe the flank approach to the adrenal gland
For unilateral uncomplicated masses:
10cm paracostal incision caudal to last rib - ventrally from the epaixal muscles
Grid incision - external and internal oblique, transverse abdominus
Ventrally retract kidney
May need to transect/retract the caudal most rib
% frequencies of vena cava thromus in adrenal cortical tumors and in pheos?
Cortical: 11-16%
Pheos: 35-55%
What does acute occulsion of the supra-renal vena cava result in in normal dogs?
60% decrease CO
renal dysfunction - temp or permanant
death
What are the reported mortalitly rate for adrenal tumors?
Pheos specifically?
all tumors 19-60%
pheos only - 18-47%
With current anesthetic procols more like 20%
Outcome of bilateral adrenalectomy for HAC in cats?
High postop mortality: 3/8 died within 5 weeks, 2 more died from adrenal insuffiencty at 3 and 6 months.
Barrera 2013 JAVMA: what were risk factors associated with adrenalectomy?
Poor short-term (<14 day) surviaval:
Intraop: caval invasion, extent of thrombus (most important,), pheo, transfusion
Post-op: DIC, pancreatitis, renal failure, hypotension, hypoxemia
Normal size of the thryoid gland dog vs cat?
Dog: 5cm x 1.5cm x 0.5cm
Cat: 1cm x 4mm x 1-2mm
Describe location of the right gland vs. the left
Left: more caudal, rings 3-8, in contact with the esophagus (NOT carotid sheath)
Right: caudal cricoid to 5th ring, in contact with carotid sheath (common carotid, internal jugular, vagosympathethic trunk) and tracheal duct.
Vascular supply of the thyroid
- cranial carotid a. = br. of common carotid a.
- Caudal thyroid a. = br. of brachycephalic a. = absent in most cats
- Cr. and cd. thyroid v. = internal jugular v. (caudal larynx and caudal neck)
- Some dogs middle segment left thyroid vessel near midline trachea that drains into the brachycephalic v.