The two main ways to perform surgery to remove the adrenal gland (i.e. adrenalectomy) are minimally invasive or open surgery.
The most popular minimally invasive adrenal surgery is laparoscopic adrenalectomy, which involves making 3 or 4 very small incisions and removing the adrenal gland using a camera and special instruments. If the patient has been advised to have an adrenalectomy, the decision about which approach to use is based on the specifics of the tumour including size, type, imaging studies and whether the patient has had previous abdominal surgery. In general, the laparoscopic approach is preferred over the open approach because laparoscopy significantly reduces discomfort, speeds healing, and leaves only small scars.
In addition, after laparoscopic adrenalectomy, the majority of patients are able to leave the hospital the day after surgery. At the Liv Hospital Adrenal Centre, we perform most adrenal gland surgeries using minimally invasive techniques to provide patients with minimal discomfort in their everyday life.