A laparoscope (camera) is inserted into the body which sends a video picture to a television monitor.

Carbon dioxide gas is used to create space and helps your surgeon see and move instruments in your body. With a minimally-invasive approach, three or four small incisions (approximately 1/2 inch) are made in the skin on the abdomen (transabdominal approach) or on the back (retroperitoneal approach). There are two surgical approaches to removing an adrenal gland: minimally invasive (laparoscopic or robotic) and open adrenalectomy. Rarely, an adrenal biopsy is used to check for the spread of cancer from other places (metastatic disease).

Hormone testing and imaging ARE important to diagnosis and treatment plans. Do I need a biopsy prior to surgery?īiopsy prior to surgery is usually NOT recommended and can be dangerous. Your doctor will let you know which tests are appropriate and if adrenal surgery is recommended. Sometimes a procedure to sample the hormones from each adrenal gland (adrenal vein sampling) is also needed. Imaging tests – including ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radioisotope nuclear scans – may also be required. What tests are performed to determine if I need my adrenal gland removed?īlood and urine tests are used to diagnose conditions such as hormone over-secretion that may require adrenal removal. Needle biopsies of the adrenal gland can be dangerous, and surgical removal for biopsy may be recommended if there is a cancer concern. Occasionally, cancer can spread from another site to the adrenal gland. Adrenal tumors are usually benign (not cancerous), but rarely can be malignant (cancerous). Cortisol – affects the immune system, metabolism, salt balance, and response to other hormones Why would I need my adrenal gland removed?Īn adrenalectomy (adrenal gland removal) may be done if an adrenal gland contains a tumor or if it makes and secretes too much of one or more hormones.Catecholamines (Epinephrine/Adrenaline, Dopamine, and norepinephrine)- affect heart rate and blood pressure, “fight or flight” response.Sex Hormones (Androgens and Estrogens) - affect physical traits and sex organ function.Aldosterone – regulates salt balance and blood pressure.Hormones produced by the adrenal glands include: You need about one-half of one adrenal gland for adequate hormone function. Hormones are substances carried through the bloodstream to many parts of the body where they regulate various body functions.

Although the adrenal glands are small, they produce several hormones that affect almost every system in the body. The two adrenal glands are part of the body’s endocrine system and are located just above each kidney in the back of the upper abdomen.

Hormones secreted by adrenal gland