Explore our Spleen and Adrenal Gland Surgery Services

Our surgeons offer emergency care and elective surgery for adrenal gland and spleen conditions. We collaborate with specialists throughout Memorial Healthcare System to get you the best surgical care as part of your overall treatment plan.

Spleen and Adrenal Gland Surgery: Why Choose Memorial Healthcare System?

Our surgeons have training in advanced minimally invasive surgery, including laparoscopic and robotic procedures for spleen and adrenal gland issues. We perform thousands of minimally invasive surgeries every year. These procedures provide several benefits over traditional open surgery, including:

• Better outcomes: Laparoscopic or robotic surgery uses only small incisions (cuts) instead of one large incision. Small-incision surgery leads to shorter hospital stays and quicker healing after a procedure.
• Faster recovery: Because this technique only requires small incisions you can recover faster from surgery. You will get back to your daily routine sooner with less downtime.
• Fewer complications: All surgeries have risks, but minimally invasive surgery reduces the risk of bleeding, infection and other complications.

Adrenal Gland and Spleen Surgeries We Offer

We offer surgery for multiple conditions that affect your adrenal glands and spleen, sometimes called solid organ surgery. These types of surgery can include emergency or elective (planned) procedures, such as:

Adrenalectomy

An adrenalectomy is a surgery to remove one or both adrenal glands. After removing adrenal glands your doctor may discuss hormone therapy to prevent problems from hormone disruption. Most adrenal gland surgeries at Memorial Healthcare System are minimally invasive laparoscopic or robotic adrenalectomies. Surgeons:

• Make one or more small incisions around the adrenal gland(s)
• Insert a camera and instruments for the surgery
• Remove one or both adrenal glands using specialized tools

Common Adrenal Gland Conditions We Treat

You have two adrenal glands located on top of each kidney. They produce and regulate hormones for metabolism, blood pressure, blood sugar and your immune system. Adrenal gland tumors can interfere with these important functions and cause other health problems. Adrenal gland tumors can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

Common Spleen Concerns We Treat

A damaged spleen or one that is not working correctly can remove healthy blood cells from your body, leading to anemia and a higher risk of infection. Anemia is a condition where the body does not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to the organs.

Some people have no symptoms with an enlarged spleen. Others experience:

• Bleeding or bruising easily
• Dizziness, weakness or pale skin from anemia
• Fatigue
• Feeling full after eating only a small amount of food
• Infections or illnesses
• Pain in the upper left side of the abdomen and into the left shoulder

You should go to the emergency room if you have upper abdomen pain that suddenly gets worse on the left side. Talk to your doctor if you have other symptoms or chronic pain in the upper left abdominal area or your left shoulder.

Splenectomy

Your spleen is an organ under your rib cage on the top left side of your abdomen. It filters out waste from your blood, such as old blood cells. It also helps your body fight infection. A splenectomy is surgery to remove your spleen. You may need to remove it if you have:

• Blood disorders: There are common blood disorders that affect the spleen. Doctors will usually try to treat these with medication before recommending spleen surgery.
• Cancer: Removing the spleen can help treat certain types of blood cancers.
• Cysts or tumors: Doctors usually recommend a splenectomy when cysts or tumors on the spleen are too large or difficult to remove.
• Enlarged or painful spleen: Infections, liver scarring (cirrhosis) or other liver disease and lymph node system issues can cause an enlarged spleen.
• Infection or inflammation: Doctors usually treat infections and inflammation with medications first. If that does not help, spleen removal is another treatment option.
• Ruptured spleen: The spleen could rupture after an injury to your abdomen or if it gets too large. A ruptured spleen can be life-threatening without treatment.

You can survive without a spleen. The liver will take over important functions of the spleen after it is removed in a splenectomy.

Diagnosing Spleen and Adrenal Gland Conditions

To diagnose spleen and adrenal gland conditions your doctor may use: Blood tests that check levels of platelets, white blood cells and red blood cells Imaging tests such as CT scans, MRI or ultrasound Physical exam to feel for signs of an enlarged spleen.