Surgical anatomy and embryology of the adrenal glands.

Gross anatomy explains the different surgical approaches to adrenalectomy and the difficulties encountered by surgeons during this procedure. Development of the adrenal glands explains the location of the ectopic sites and excess hormone production by adrenal tumors. The choice of a surgical approach is sometimes difficult and is dependent on (1) the morphology of the body; (2) the volume of the tumor, which necessitates immediate vascular control; and (3) the type of disease, which may necessitate a complete exploration of the abdominal cavity.