The surgery is less invasive because surgeons do not cut as far into the body. Surgery to remove the adrenal gland(s) through small incisions in the back offers significant benefits. Roman says most adrenal patients with benign neoplasms are potential candidates for the procedure, and derive numerous clinical benefits. Over the past 7 years, she has done nearly 300 PRA surgeries. Sanziana Roman, MD, professor of surgery at UCSF and a senior endocrine surgeon, helped pioneer PRA and was among the first surgeons in the U.S. PRA is a procedure that requires a high level of surgical precision, and where experience performing the procedure can make a significant difference in outcome.

This avoids painful abdominal incisions and move internal organs, and patients get back on their feet faster. UCSF endocrine surgeons Sanziana Roman MD and Julie Ann Sosa MD MA are among the select few in the country to remove adrenal tumors through the back with very small incisions. Importantly, PRA was found to be just as safe as a traditional laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Reduced risk of surgical access site herniation.

Faster recovery and return to normal activities.

Overall, patient outcomes were superior with the PRA approach, notably: In the trial, sixty-five patients were randomized into two arms, sixty-one of whom completed 5 years of follow-up. Even though we have two adrenal glands, one normal gland is enough to provide fully normal hormonal function.Ī clinical trial published in the Annals of Surgery reported that outcomes using PRA were superior to lateral transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy and open transperitoneal surgery, the traditional approaches for removing adrenal tumors through the abdomen. The adrenal medulla makes catecholamines (i.e. The center of the adrenal gland is the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex makes important hormones that balance the water and salt in the body and help maintain normal blood pressure normal, including steroids.

The outer layer of the adrenal gland is the adrenal cortex. One adrenal gland sits on top of each kidney. There are two adrenal glands, each shaped like a triangle. PRA is a minimally invasive procedure where adrenal gland masses are removed through small incisions in the back rather than through the abdomen, the traditional approach. UCSF endocrine surgeons now offer patients with adrenal tumors and cysts a new state-of-the-art surgical procedure, the posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (PRA).

Remove adrenal glands