Endocrine surgery
Division of General and Laparoendoscopic Surgery
Adenoma: is a benign type of mass, or tumor. Adenomas are not cancerous. These can occur in many organs including the thyroid, parathyoid, pancreas, adrenal glands, and GI tract.
Adrenal Cancer: is a malignant, or cancerous, growth of the adrenal gland. It is rare and difficult to cure. Learn more ...
Adrenalectomy: is the surgical removal of the adrenal gland. The extent of the removal dictates the terminology of the operation such as:
- Anterior Adrenalectomy is an adrenalectomy performed through a single abdominal incision.
- Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy is an adrenalectomy performed through multiple (4 or 5) small abdominal and flank incisions with the help of long instruments and a surgical telescope/camera to remove the gland with potentially less pain, a shorter hospital stay, and a faster return to normal routine activities.
- Posterior Adrenalectomy is an adrenalectomy performed through an
incision in the back.
Learn more ...
Adrenal Glands: are glands located just above each of the 2 kidneys. They secrete many important hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, sex hormones, and adrenaline. Learn more ...
Adrenocortical Carcinoma: is another term for Adrenal Cancer.
Autotransplantation: is a process of reimplanting your own tissue into a different site in your body. This is sometimes done with parathyroid glands if their blood supply is compromised during an operation in the neck.
Calcium: is an electrolyte (a normal chemical element) of your blood. It is important for many bodily functions involving muscles and nerves but is also a major component of bone structure.
Carcinoid Tumors: are rare tumors that can occur throughout the digestive tract or in the bronchial tree (air passages of the lung). Depending on the location and extent, these tumors may be associated with a syndrome of flushing, diarrhea, asthma, and heart failure. They may also secrete other products that lead to overproduction of cortisol and cause Cushing's syndrome.
Carcinoma: is the pathological term for a type of cancer
Conn's Syndrome: is primary hyperaldosteronism, or adrenal overproduction of a hormone called aldosterone. This may cause high blood pressure and a low blood potassium level.
Cushing's Syndrome: refers to any condition with elevated cortisol levels (a type of steroid hormone). This can be related to many factors including drug administration, pituitary gland tumors, adrenal tumors, and other types of tumors (breast, lung).
Endocrine glands: are a group of glands in the body which secrete hormones. These hormones evoke a specific response from other cells in other locations in the body.
Endocrine surgeon: a surgeon specializing in the surgical treatment of endocrine diseases - conditions which affect the endocrine glands of the body.
Endocrine Surgery: is the type of surgery which specializes in the surgical treatment of endocrine diseases - those diseases affecting the endocrine glands of the body.
Endocrinology: is the study, evaluation, and management of the endocrine organs. These are a group of glands in the body that manufacture and secrete hormones.
Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA): a very small needle is used to obtain tissue from the body in order to help with diagnosis
Gastrinoma: refers to a tumor that secretes the hormone gastrin. Elevated levels of gastrin can cause severe ulcer disease and diarrhea. Gastrinomes can be seen in patients with the multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome (MEN).
Goiter: is a general term that means enlargement of the thyroid gland.
Graves' Disease: is a type of autoimmune disease that can cause enlargement of the thyroid gland (a goiter) and overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism). This disease may even affect the eyes and cause a bulging apearance as well as vision problems. Medications, radioactive iodine therapy, and surgery are all treatment options.
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: is another type of autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland. It may cause enlargement (a goiter) of the thyroid. Although it occasionally may cause temporary overactivity of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), it usually causes permanent underactivity (hypothyroidism) and may require treatment with thyroid hormone medication.
Hormones: are small substances secreted by glands such as the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroids, pancreas, ovaries, testicles, and adrenals which are able to act on tissues elsewhere in the body to cause a specific response.
Hyperaldosteronism: see Conn's syndrome above.
Hypercalcemia: is elevation of your blood calcium level. It may have many causes, but one of the more common causes is primary hyperparathyroidism, or overactivity of the parathyroid gland(s).
Hyperparathyroidism: refers to overactivity and growth of the parathyroid gland or glands. In the most common form, this is accompanied by hypercalcemia and may cause or worsen many problems including kidney stones, depression, ulcer disease, pancreatitis, fatigue, constipation, osteoporosis,or joint pains.
Hyperthyroidism: is the overproduction of thyroid hormones.
Hypothyroidism: is underproduction or ineffectiveness of thyroid hormones.
Insulinoma: is a type of tumor of the endocrine cells of the pancreas that makes insulin and can cause severe hypoglycemic attacks (low blood sugar).
Minimally-Invasive/Directed Parathyroidectomy: is a type of parathyroidectomy where a very small incision (approx. one inch) is made to find and remove a single parathyroid gland causing the hyperparathyroidism. Finding the gland is facilitated by use of a radiologic imaging (that demonstrates the abnormal parathyroid gland). Local anesthesia with IV sedation can be used for anesthetic in many patients, rather than having general anesthesia (asleep with a breathing tube). Most patients go home the same day.
Pancreas: an important gland located deep within the abdomen. It makes substances that help with digestion of food but also makes multiple hormones such as insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and others.
Pancreatectomy: is an operation to remove a portion of the pancreas done for a tumor or for severe dysfunction.
Parathyroid Glands: are small glands behind the thyroid (usually numbering 4) which secrete a hormone responsible for maintaining the balance of calcium in the body. Learn more ...
Parathyroidectomy: is an operation to remove one or more parathyroid glands. This is usually done for hyperparathyroidism. Some types of this disease may require removal of more than one parathyroid gland.
Pheochromocytoma: is a type of tumor, usually in the adrenal gland, which may produce extra catecholamines (substances such as adrenaline) which can cause severely elevated blood pressure, heart problems and headaches.
Recurrent laryngeal nerve: One nerve on each side of the trachea (windpipe) that helps control the vocal cords and the sound of the voice. Permanent damage of the nerves can result in hoarseness of the voice. The risk of damage to these nerves during surgery in the neck is about 1%.
Superior laryngeal nerve (external branch): One nerve on each side of the neck travels near the upper portion of the thyroid gland. This nerve affects the pitch of the voice. If damaged, it is difficult for singers to reach high notes. Damage usually is not apparent in everyday conversation.
Thyroid Cancer: is a malignant growth in the thyroid gland. These may be of many types including papillary, follicular, Hurthle cell, or medullary cancers. Surgery is the first step in treating these cancers. Most thyroid cancers are very treatable and the prognosis for longterm survival is usually excellent.
Thyroidectomy: is the surgical removal of thyroid tissue. The extent of the removal dictates the terminology of the operation:
- Hemithyroidectomy or Lobectomy is the removal of about half of the thyroid
- Subtotal thyroidectomy is removal of less than the entire thyroid gland.
- Total Thyroidectomy is complete removal of the thyroid gland.
Thyroid Gland: is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the front portion of the neck. It processes iodine to make thyroid hormones which regulate the body's overall metabolism.
Return to patient information page
