Postoperative Adrenal Crisis Following Resection of a Non-Functional Adrenal Tumor: A Case Linked to Perioperative Dexamethasone Administration

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A 33-year-old woman developed postoperative adrenal crisis-like symptoms 54 hours after adrenalectomy for a non-functioning adrenal tumor.
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The patient received a single 5 mg intravenous dose of dexamethasone intraoperatively for antiemetic prophylaxis.
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Postoperative endocrine testing revealed marked suppression of ACTH and cortisol, indicating potential glucocorticoid effects.
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Preoperative evaluation did not include a 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test, leaving mild autonomous cortisol secretion unassessed.
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The patient's condition improved with supportive therapy and stress-dose hydrocortisone following the adrenal crisis-like deterioration.

Frontiers In Endocrinology

by Shuai He, Lifang Tan, Jing Yang, Chunxia Li, Yuchen Tan, Juan Shen, Cong Wang, Jun Zheng, Yongquan Wang
July 21, 2026

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