Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy: 10-Year Experience, 67 Procedures

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term results of laparoscopic adrenalectomies carried out in our center. A total of 67 laparoscopic adrenalectomies were performed during the 10 years between 1995 and 2005 at Shahid Labbafinejad Medical Center. A transperitoneal lateral approach was used in 65 (97.0%) of the patients, and retroperitoneal approach was used in 2 (3.0%). The clinical characteristics and the outcomes were reviewed in a retrospective study. Indications for laparoscopic adrenalectomy in our patients were as follows: pheochromocytoma in 28 patients (41.8%), aldosterone-producing adenoma in 15 (22.4%), pseudocyst in 6 (9.0%), Cushing syndrome (macronodular adrenocortical hyperplasia) in 5 (7.5%), nonfunctioning adenoma (incidentaloma) in 5 (7.5%), myelolipoma in 2 (3.0%), almost normal adrenal tissue in 2 (3.0%), adrenal cyst in 2 (3.0%), adenocarcinoma in 1 (1.4%), and schwannoma in 1 (1.4%). The mean operative time for unilateral cases was 149.0 ± 36.1 minutes. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 126 ± 36 mL. Conversion rate to open surgery was 7.5%. Reoperation due to hemorrhage was performed in 1 patient. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a safe procedure in some adrenal tumors and a reasonable option for selected large adrenal tumors when complete resection is technically feasible and there is no evidence of local invasion.