When we perform an adrenalectomy at UVA Health, our surgeons remove 1 or both of your adrenal glands.
Who Needs an Adrenalectomy?
We use adrenalectomy surgery to treat several different diseases in adults and kids:
- Adrenal cancer – We may use this surgery to treat this rare cancer if it hasn't spread throughout the body. Or if another cancer spreads to the adrenal gland and causes a tumor.
- Adrenal tumor – Even when they're not cancer, these tumors can send your hormones out of whack.
- Severe congenital adrenal hyperplasia – This disease runs in families and can also mess up your hormones.
- Adrenal gland infection – We might do surgery if medication doesn't help the infection.
How Do We Do Adrenalectomy?
Our surgeons usually do laparoscopic adrenalectomy. That means using small cuts and tiny cameras to see the take out your adrenal gland. This kind of surgery means a faster, easier recovery.
Sometimes, we can't do a laparoscopic adrenalectomy safely, so we do an open adrenalectomy instead. That includes making one large cut on your body.
Learn more about surgery at UVA Health.
Recovering After Adrenalectomy
You'll stay in the hospital for about 1-3 days before you go home. After that, most people recover in 4-6 weeks. Your care team will help you understand what you need to do after you get home.