Laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Initial experience of 57 cases.

Abstract

[eng] AIM: Analyse the results after 8 years of experience in the laparoscopic treatment of adrenal surgical pathology. MATERIAL OF STUDY: This is a descriptive retrospective observational study. We analysed the following variables: sex, age, preoperative diagnosis, lesion size (cm) and laterality, operative time series (minutes), conversion to open surgery (%), postoperative complications, average length of hospital stay (days) and the results of pathological anatomy. RESULTS: Fiftyseven laparoscopic adrenalectomy in 56 patients operated between May 2003 and September 2010. The average age of patients was 51.2 years (±17.12). 50% of laparoscopic transperitoneal surrenalectomy was performed on male patients. The pathologic diagnosis of lesions were 25 cortical adenoma (44%), 16 pheochromocytomas (28%), 4 nodular hyperplasia (7%), 6 metastases of carcinoma of the lung (10%) and 2 metastatic malignant histiocytomas (5%), 2 ganglioneuromas (5%) and 2 myelolipomas (5%). DISCUSSION: In light of the results obtained in large published series 2-8, laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become the treat- ment of choice for tumours of the adrenal gland, fulfilling the goals of traditional surgery with the advantages of min- imally invasive surgery. Several studies have highlighted the advantages of laparoscopic surgery compared to open surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has proved to be the gold standard in the treatment of benign tumours and is taking hold in the case of well-selected malignant tumours and in strict accordance with the criteria that should guide any surgical oncology.