News about Endocrine Surgery

Endocrine Surgery News

From June 1st 2010 a weekly review of the recent publications will be listed

There was an interesting article from the British Medical Journal, in the lesson of the week section regarding the diagnosis of virilising congenital adrenal hyperplasia. A four year old child had the clinical features suggestive of adrenal virilisation and was treated as such with steroids, however subsequent biochemistry did not confirm the clinical diagnosis. It transpired that the father was under treatment with cutaneous testosterone gel and as the child had been sleeping with the parents, the virilising of the child was due to absorption of the gel from the father's skin. The contact with the gel was subsequently avoided and the child's virilisation went.

This article emphasises two points:

How important it is to take a proper history, especially in sexual precocity to make sure that the family members are questioned about drug usage; and

How effectively drugs are absorbed by the skin.

Reference : Mason A et al BMJ. May 2010 Vol  340  1137-1138

Clinical Oncology Volume 22 number 6 August 2010

This is a special issue edited by Ujjal Malick and is devoted to thyroid cancer. I would recommend it to any physician or surgeon interested in thyroid cancer. It is a well written special issue and is up-to-date. There is little that is really new in the publication but it is a very good basis for those with an interest in thyroid cancer. There is also an article on parathyroid cancer which is well balanced in its views.

Fifteen years ' experience in thyroid surgery

This is the published Hunterian Lecture of John C Watkinson Its essential reading for all trainees and shows that thyroid surgery in experienced hands has a very low complication rate.

 Reference  Ann R College Surg England 2010;92:541-547