Perioperative complications of adrenal surgery

Complications of adrenal surgery may be medical or surgical. The latter are related to the operative approach as well as to the type and extent of the adrenal lesion and are in general similar to those seen in other open procedures. The medical complications include adrenal insufficiency as a result of bilateral adrenalectomy or continuing contralateral suppression, as well as more specific problems resulting from the physiological derangements of Cushing's syndrome, pheochromocytoma, and primary aldosteronism. Nevertheless, with meticulous preoperative management and postoperative care, adrenal surgery can be performed with low morbidity and mortality rates.