Adrenalectomy is surgery to remove one or both adrenal glands. These glands are on top of the kidneys. They make hormones that help the body to work properly.
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This is done to treat:
Problems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:
Things that may raise the risk of problems are:
The surgical team may meet with you to talk about:
General anesthesia will be used. You will be asleep.
An incision will be made under the rib cage or abdomen. The adrenal gland will then be removed through the incision. The incision will be closed with stitches or staples. A bandage will be placed over the site.
The doctor may place a tiny tube into the area where the gland was removed. The tube will drain fluids that may build up after surgery. It will be taken out within one week after surgery.
The adrenal gland(s) will be sent to a lab to be checked. You will be sent to a recovery room.
1½ hours to 3½ hours
Pain and swelling are common in the first 1 to 2 weeks. Medicine and home care help.
4 to 5 days
Right after the procedure, the staff may:
During your stay, the hospital staff will take steps to lower your risk of infection, such as:
There are also steps you can take to lower your risk of infection, such as:
It will take about 4 to 6 weeks to recover. Physical activity will be limited during this time. You will need to delay your return to work.
Call your doctor if you are not getting better or you have:
If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.
Urology Care Foundation
http://www.urologyhealth.org
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
https://www.niddk.nih.gov
Canadian Urological Association
http://www.cua.org
The Kidney Foundation of Canada
https://www.kidney.ca
Aporowicz M, Domosławski P. et al. Perioperative complications of adrenalectomy—12 years of experience from a single center/teaching hospital and literature review. Arch Med Sci. 2018 Aug; 14(5): 1010–1019.
Cushing Disease. EBSCO DynaMed wesbite. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/cushing-disease. Accessed January 12, 2021.
Open Adrenalectomy Technique. Medscape. Available at: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1895027-technique. Accessed January 12, 2021.
You and your hormones. Society for Endocrinology. Available at: https://www.yourhormones.info/glands/adrenal-glands. Accessed January 12, 2021
Last reviewed February 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Marcin Chwistek, MD Last Updated: 1/12/2021
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