>From:    Julie Rathsack <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Adrenal Gland Surgery - Follow-up (abnormality)
>
>She had her surgery on Monday.  From what I understand, they freeze the
>adrenal gland to stop it from working.  Dr. Koffman discovered that
>Snowball has an abnormality.  One of the ventricles from her heart wraps
>around the adrenal gland.
 
Is it possible your vet was talking about the Vena Cava?  This is the
largest vein in the body and the right adrenal gland in a ferret is almost
always attached to this vein.  In many cases, the gland wraps around it
and in some cases can grow right into the vein, cutting off the passage
of blood.
 
Right adrenal gland surgery is more difficult than the left in every
ferret because of its location in relation to the vena cava.  I wouldn't
call it an abnormality, at least not when compared to other ferrets.
Cryosurgery (freezing), by the way, is probably the best method to use
during right adrenal gland surgery as there is much less risk of damaging
the vena cava.
 
You can see a photo of a ferret's internal anatomy, clearly showing a
right adrenal wrapped around the vena cava, on this page of my website...
http://www.ferrethealth.info/anatomy.htm
 
For the ferrets,
Mike
 
* Michael Janke, [log in to unmask]
* South Florida Ferret Help Line, 305-752-7040
*
* Website:  http://www.miamiferret.org
* Adrenal/Insulinoma web site: http://www.ferrethealth.info
*
* Ferret Health List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list
[Posted in FML issue 3668]