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Adrenalectomy
Category: General & Abdominal Surgery · All general & abdominal surgery
What it is
An adrenalectomy removes one (rarely both) of the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys and produce hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol and aldosterone. It is usually keyhole surgery, through the abdomen or the back.
Why it is done
Reasons include hormone-producing tumours causing high blood pressure or other syndromes, larger tumours with cancer concern, and occasionally confirmed adrenal cancer or spread from another cancer.
How to prepare
Extensive preparation includes hormone blood and urine tests, scans, and anaesthetic review. Some hormone tumours need specific medicines for days to weeks before surgery to make it safe (for example alpha-blockers for phaeochromocytoma). You fast before surgery.
What happens during the procedure
Under general anaesthetic, the gland is carefully freed from surrounding structures and its vein controlled, then removed through a small cut. Surgery usually takes one to two hours.
Afterwards — recovery & results
Stay is typically one to three days. Hormone levels are rechecked; occasionally short-term steroid cover is needed while the remaining gland adjusts (it has often been suppressed). Most hormone-related symptoms improve over the following weeks.
Risks & considerations
Risks include bleeding, infection, injury to nearby organs (spleen, pancreas, liver, bowel), blood clots, hormone swings during surgery (managed by the anaesthetic team), and anaesthetic risks. Your endocrine and surgical teams will plan your specific precautions.
Watch: Adrenalectomy videos
Real procedure videos from the MedicalVideos.com library. Some clinical footage is graphic — that is the nature of a medical video library.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
Will I need hormone tablets afterwards?
Usually not after removing one gland — the other gland takes over. After both glands are removed (rare), lifelong replacement of cortisol and usually aldosterone is essential.
Why did I need tablets before surgery?
Some adrenal tumours release hormones that make blood pressure dangerously variable during surgery. Pre-treatment blocks those effects and makes the operation much safer.
Related procedures — General & Abdominal Surgery
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