Cryosurgery is not necessarily the best approach for an adrenal surgery;
it depends on the skill of the surgeon.  A good surgeon can get more of
the right adrenal out with a scalpel, but since the Vena Cava is right
there cryosurgery is safer for that major vein, esp.  if the surgeon is
not used to ferrets.
 
Therefore, what cryosurgery often achieves is debulking (removal of most
of the bulk of the tumor) which means that when a bilateral removal
situation exists the chances of needed to replace adrenal products to
avoid an Addisonian crash are lower -- though can still happen.  It also
means that the remaining tissue may regrow.  These also can happen with
debulking when using other surgical techniques.  Some ferrets who get
tissue regrowth actually regrow the hormone generating tissue but not
the steroidal tissue so those may need meds to avoid Addisons while at
the same time needing to be treated for adrenal neoplasia (See another
post of mine today for info on treatments.).
 
Ferrets who have enough of both adrenal removed, or have one out but
the other is atrophied NEED to have medications to replace the adrenal
products.  These are Prednisolone, and either Florinef/ Fludrocort or
Percorten.  Until balance is achieved the ferret may also be helped by
providing some table salt for the sodium, or sometimes providing both
that table salt and also a bit a banana for the potassium.  Ferrets who
need these meds often will need increases in the amount of meds when they
are under increased physical demands or stresses such as a marked weight
gain, marked increase in activity, illness, surgery, etc.  Ones who need
these meds who get intestinal diseases leading to diarrhea should get
Percorten injections instead of using oral Fludrocort/Florinef because
the oral meds pass too quickly to be effective in that situation.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my
private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love
them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5314]