Transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy Our experience
Antonio Antonino 1, Andrea Rosato 1, Pasquale Zenone 1, Raffaele Ranieri 1, Mauro Maglio 1, Gennaro Lupone 1, Eugenio Gragnano 1, Nicola Sangiuliano 1, Giovanni Docimo 2, Maurizio De Palma 1
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Endocrine and General Surgery Unit, “Antonio Cardarelli” Hospital, Naples, Italy.
2 Division of General and Obesity Surgery, Department of Surgery, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
Abstract
AIM: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is considered the standard technique for the surgical removal of the adrenal gland. This report is about a 4-year single experience in our Endocrine and General Surgery Unit with laparoscopic adrenalectomy. METHODS: A total of 24 lateral transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomies were performed. The indications for laparoscopic surgery were: aldosteronoma in 3 patients, pheochromocytoma in 6 patients, nonfunctioning adenoma in 6 patients, adenoma causing Cushing’s syndrome in 3 patients, 1 lymphangioma-like adenomatoid tumor, 1 myelolipoma, 1 complicated adrenal cyst, 2 adrenocortical carcinomas, 1 lung metastasis. RESULTS: All except two had successful laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Complication occurred in one patient. 3 patients underwent other associated laparoscopic procedures. Operative time ranged from 100 to 240 minutes for laparoscopic adrenalectomy, from 180 to 210 minutes in the cases with two associated laparoscopic procedures, 5 hours for bilateral adrenalectomy; the postoperative hospital stay for laparoscopic adrenalectomy ranged from 4 to 8 days (6,79 days) and from 7 to 13 days (9,12 days) for patients undergoing the open or converted procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is technically feasible and reproducible. We evaluate the effectiveness of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for a variety of endocrine disorders except in the case of invasive carcinoma or large masses. “Antonio Cardarelli” Endocrine and General Surgery Unit in Naples is known as a specialized center for thyroid and parathyroid surgery; in future, we could also become a high-volume laparoscopic referral center for adrenal gland pathologies.
Keywords
- Adrenal adenoma
- Adrenalectomy
- Laparoscopy
