Post operative facts  

It is important to point out that, because we are talking about one very serious operation, after the operation every patient will spend some time in the intensive care unit (ITU). Why? Well the answer is simple. Adrenal glands control many functions in our body and that’s why, few days after the operation, doctors must monitor the patient’s blood pressure, pulse and temperature, and the urine from the kidneys.

If we would like to talk about the recovery time, then we should know that the shortest recover time is when the incision is made in the patient’s back! In this case, patient is usually able to eat normally within 48 to72 hours. If the surgery has been performed through an abdominal approach, recovery time is usually delayed for 4 to 5 days. 

 

Life-time consequences
 

There are some facts that every patient should know about this operation. Because the hormones produced by the adrenal glands are essential to life, it is not necessary to point out that, it is unavoidable to take steroid replacement tablets top the rest of your life. Good thing is that this is only if both adrenals are removed. If only one adrenal has been removed, it may not be necessary for you to take any additional long-term drugs. These drugs are strong steroid medications and the most commonly used are Hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone.  

Good thing to know about this operation is that there are only few possible complications and that they are extremely rare! Clotting in the veins, chest infection and pneumonia are unusual, but they are possible. Several studies done in the past have shown that they are lot commoner if the operation has been performed through the stomach!

 

One very special consequence of the adrenalectomy is imbalance of some of the most important hormones in our body. This could be a big problem and cause several other symptoms such as delayed wound healing, blood pressure fluctuations, and other metabolic problems.

Other risks are typical of many operations. These include: