Adrenalectomy

Adrenalectomy in Argentina

The adrenals are small glands that are located above the kidneys and their function is to produce important hormones involved in body's response to stress such as cortisol, aldosterone and adrenaline. They also produce some of the sex hormones.

Adrenal Gland Disorders

Adrenal Surgery is indicated when there is an increase in hormone production, or when a node has no known etiology.

If there is a hormonal overproduction, the most common problems are due to the presence of tumors that produce excessive amounts of different hormones:

• Cushing's Disease: caused by excess steroid production (cortisol) that produces a redistribution of body fat, which accumulates on the face, neck and trunk, while the limbs are thin muscular atrophy.
• Cohn's Disease: caused by an increase in the production of aldosterone, a hormone that generates a wrongful retention of sodium in the kidney and causes high blood pressure accompanied by low levels of potassium in the blood.
• Pheochromocytoma: caused by the production of excessive amounts of adrenaline and derivatives that produce among other things, high blood pressure, excessive sweating, tremor, or anxiety.

If a node that is not accompanied by an increase in hormone production, surgery is indicated when the size is larger than 4 cm. in order to determine its etiology.

Adrenal Gland Surgery

The laparoscopic adrenalectomy found its development over the last few years and involves making three incisions no larger than 1 cm. Then a high resolution camera is placed to visualize the work area in great detail on a monitor, and through delicate instrumental the operation is completed with minimal tissue damage.

Adrenalectomy Recovery

Once the surgery is completed, the patient remains in the recovery room for observation until fully awake and able to function normally. After a day of observation, the patient is discharged the day after surgery.

You can perform normal activities after a few days of surgery and physical activity is recommended 15 to 20 days after the operation. It is necessary to go to the specialist after 7 days to monitor progress until the final pathology report.

In some cases, after the removal of some tumors there may be changes blood pressure that require medication.

Depending on the type of hormonal disorder treated, in some cases it may be necessary a steroid supplementation for a variable period of time until the contralateral gland re-establish its function.

Advantages of Minimally Invasive Adrenal Removal Surgery

• Safer-Surgery: The adrenal is located in a very delicate touch with important structures. The image magnification allows to operate with greater detail, giving more security to the procedure.
• Best recovery: It generates a minimum tissue damage that allows a speedy recovery so the patient can return to work activity without discomfort or risk.
• Aesthetic result: Only a one centimeter incision remains at the base of the neck with an excellent cosmetic result.