Adrenal Glands

Personally performed operations (as of 2018): 93
Total of performed visceral operations: over 14.000

The most common indication for surgery of the adrenal glands are primary tumors, meaning tumors that originated within the glands. They can occur in the course of syndroms, during which other endocrinally active glands, such as the thyroid and parathyroid gland, have also been affected. Nowadays, removal of the adrenal gland can be done almost exclusively laparoscopically, given that the tumor is not too large. If it is, conventional open surgery is still the safest choice.
Tumor, which produce adrenalin, must be treated endocrinologically before surgery. In the course of this treatment, both alpha and beta-receptors must have been blocked long enough to guarantee steady blood pressure during the operation.

Possible complications

Complications associated with adrenal gland surgery are mostly the possible injury of surrounding structures. When removing the left adrenal gland, this concerns the pancreas tail as well as the spleen and the left colonic flexure.
On the right side, it is rather the duodenum and the liver, as well large blood vessels close by, that can be subject to injury.
After surgery on both adrenal glands, a subfunction of the remaining adrenal gland tissue can occur, making endocrinological treatment necessary. In most cases however, the removal of an adrenal gland is not noticed by the patient, because the other side can compensate its function fully.