Can all adrenal tumor surgeries be minimally invasive?

  The adrenal gland is located on top of the kidney and is relatively deep. Previously, an open surgery required a large incision to do so. Nowadays, with the minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery method, adrenal tumors within 10 centimeters and with light adhesions to other organs can be perfectly removed through the minimally invasive laparoscopic method. However, tumors that exceed 10 centimeters, or tumors that severely invade surrounding organs and blood vessels, such as giant pheochromocytoma and retroperitoneal tumors that encircle large blood vessels, still require classical open surgery for complete removal.  Minimally invasive surgery to remove adrenal tumors is the procedure I specialize in. Generally, 3 to 4 small incisions are made in the patient’s lumbar abdomen to perfectly remove the tumor and remove the excised tumor.  Some patients have adrenal tumors on both sides, then it is necessary to evaluate which side of the tumor is affecting the endocrine function, and it is not necessary to cut both. Generally speaking, the patient should try to achieve a more normal endocrine level by surgically removing the tumor that is larger or has a strong endocrine function. If both sides of the tumor have strong secretion function, it should be removed in stages, and our surgeons will be very careful to preserve some normal adrenal tissues to maintain the normal endocrine function of the patient after surgery. From the viewpoint of surgical safety and trauma, bilateral adrenal surgery is usually not done at the same time to avoid postoperative adrenal insufficiency.  Since laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery is less invasive and the procedure is relatively fast, it is not physically demanding for the patient. Some patients, although they are old and have high blood pressure, can undergo minimally invasive surgery as long as their preoperative examination of cardiopulmonary function, cerebrovascular condition and blood sugar control are still stable. However, if the patient has vital organ failure, such as poor lung function, or frequent ischemia of the heart, surgery is less appropriate, and the symptoms can be improved by controlling adrenal endocrine function with medication.