Indications
Hormone-secreting tumours (cortisol, aldosterone, catecholamines), lesions above about 4 cm or with worrying imaging features, growth on surveillance, and isolated adrenal metastasis in selected patients.
Preparation matters
Phaeochromocytoma requires alpha blockade and volume loading for one to two weeks before surgery to prevent intraoperative hypertensive crisis. Cortisol-secreting tumours need perioperative steroid cover and a tapering plan.
Recovery
Most patients go home within one to two days. Endocrine follow-up confirms hormonal normalisation, and steroid replacement is weaned under supervision where the contralateral gland has been suppressed.
Common questions
- Can adrenal-sparing surgery be done?
- Partial adrenalectomy is considered in hereditary bilateral disease to preserve cortical function.
- Is open surgery ever better?
- Yes — for large tumours, suspected adrenocortical carcinoma with local invasion, or vascular involvement.
This page is general education, reviewed by Dr. Ishaan Allahabadi, MCh Surgical Oncology (Edge Hill, UK) · MS Surgery · MBBS (Accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons of England). It is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Treatment decisions are made after reviewing your imaging and pathology, in a multidisciplinary tumour board.