The adrenal glands sit on top of both kidneys and produce a number of hormones including cortisol, aldosterone and epinephrine. Tumors that develop on the adrenal glands may be either cancerous or benign, but even non-cancerous tumors can pose some serious health problems. Adrenal gland tumors often need surgical treatment.
Indications
Adrenal tumors that may contain a cancerous mass need to be removed surgically, the University of Michigan Health System explains. Because benign tumors can produce unusually large quantities of adrenal hormones, they may also need to be surgically removed. Tumors that produce large amounts of cortisol, aldosterone and epinephrine can cause serious medical problems and generally require surgical treatment.
Types
There are three main types of surgery available for adrenal gland tumors, according to the University of Southern California Department of Surgery. An open adrenalectomy, which involves one large incision in the back or flank, is indicated when adrenal cancer is suspected. Patients who have benign tumors that are smaller than 10 cm in diameter may instead receive a laparoscopic adrenalectomy, in which several small incisions and specialized tools are used to remove the affected adrenal gland. The third option is laparoscopic removal of both adrenal glands, which is only needed if both adrenal glands are affected.
Laparoscopic Advantages
Laparoscopic surgery is generally performed whenever possible due to the advantages it has over open surgery. This type of surgery causes less pain, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons reports, and requires less recovery time. There is also a reduced risk of infection or herniation because the incisions are smaller.
Preparation
Before adrenal gland tumor surgery can be performed, a patient needs to have a thorough physical exam, chest X-ray, EKG and blood tests to make sure that he is healthy enough for the operation. Patients who have a hormone-secreting tumor may need to take medications to control their hormonal imbalances in advance. Patients also must stop taking any blood thinners or aspirin several days before the surgery to reduce the risk of hemorrhage.
Recovery
Patients who have any kind of adrenal gland tumor surgery stay in the hospital at least overnight. After laparoscopic surgery, most patients are discharged after 1 to 2 days; open surgery may require a hospital stay of 5 to 7 days, according to the University of Southern California Department of Surgery. Patients who have laparoscopic surgery may resume normal activities after two weeks; the recovery time for open surgery is 4 to 8 weeks.
