Adrenalectomy

An operation to remove one or both of the adrenal glands. These glands are located on top of each kidney

Parts of the Body Involved

Adrenal gland(s)

Reasons for Procedure

  • Malignant adrenal tumors
  • Benign adrenal tumors, such as pheochromocytoma
  • Enlargement or abnormalities of the adrenal gland, resulting in symptoms and complications due to excess hormone production (such as Cushings syndrome)

Risk Factors for Complications during the Procedure

  • Age: 60 or older
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Excess stress
  • Malnutrition
  • Recent or chronic illness
  • Heart or lung problems
  • Alcoholism
  • Use of certain medications, including blood pressure pills, muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, insulin, steroids, sedatives, and hypnotic agents
  • Use of street drugs, including LSD, hallucinogens, marijuana, and cocaine

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

Your doctor will likely do some or all of the following:
  • Physical exam
  • Blood tests
  • Urine tests
  • Abdominal ultrasound

Outcome

Recovery time after a classic open abdominal adrenalectomy may be as long as 4-6 weeks, while recovery time after laparoscopic adrenalectomy may be as short as one week to ten days.

Youll need to be carefully monitored to verify that your body is producing the right quantity of steroid hormones, or to verify that youre taking the correct dose of steroid medication.

You may be asked to weigh yourself daily and to report any weight gain of two or more pounds over 24 hours, as this may indicate that you are retaining fluid. Youll probably be asked to monitor your blood pressure regularly at home as well.

Try to increase your physical activity according to your doctors instructions, in order to avoid any respiratory complications from the general anesthesia and in order to improve recovery of your digestive system.

Call Your Doctor If Any of the Following Occurs

  • Signs of infection, including fever and chills
  • Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision site
  • Nausea and/or vomiting that you cant control with the medications you were given after surgery, or which persist for more than two days after discharge from the hospital
  • Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, or severe nausea or vomiting
  • Pain, burning, urgency, or frequency of urination, or persistent bleeding in the urine
  • Pain and/or swelling in your feet, calves, or legs, sudden shortness of breath or chest pain