Operative approaches to the adrenal gland.

Various adrenal disorders necessitate surgical intervention, and familiarity with adrenal pathophysiology and surgical anatomy is crucial to the success of these procedures. A number of operative approaches--anterior, posterior, flank, and thoracoabdominal--are available; the choice must be made on the basis of the patient's adrenal pathology, body habitus, and surgical history as well as the surgeon's experience and familiarity with the different options.