Laparoscopic versus open adrenalectomy in Cushing's syndrome and disease

Adrenalectomy in Cushing's syndrome and disease involves particular risks and complications. The aim of the study was to compare the open posterior and the flank laparoscopic approaches in this group of patients.

Forty patients who underwent unilateral or bilateral adrenalectomy for hypercortisolism between 1991 and 1999 were studied. Patients were divided as follows: adenoma--5 laparoscopic and 6 open; hyperplasia--17 laparoscopic and 12 open. Demographics, surgical details, outcome, and complications were comparatively analyzed.

Patients undergoing laparoscopic or open adrenalectomy were comparable in terms of age, sex distribution, body mass index, respiratory status, and anesthetic risk. Operative time was longer in the laparoscopic group. One patient in the laparoscopic group died of upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding on postoperative day 17. Two patients in the open group and one in the laparoscopic group experienced postoperative complications. Cure of the disease occurred in all patients. Mild abdominal wall pain developed in one patient in each group. No abdominal wall weakness was identified in either group.

Cure rate and operative and long-term morbidity were similar for laparoscopic and open adrenalectomies in this series. However, it is important to emphasize that late complications in our patients who underwent the posterior open procedure were rather infrequent.