[Adrenal surgery in Spain: final results of a national survey]

The indications for adrenalectomy could be changing by the availability of laparoscopy and the growing detection of incidentalomas. The Endocrine Surgery Section of the Spanish Association of Surgeons conducted a survey to analyse the current indications for adrenalectomy and their results in Spanish surgical departments.

Data was gathered as regards the type of hospital and department, volume of procedures, localisation studies and pre-surgical preparations, indications, surgical approach, and results in terms of morbidity and hospital stay. The results of the centres were compared as regards their volume of activity using the Mann-Whitney Test for the quantitative variables and chi squared for the qualitative ones.

Thirty-six centres completed the questionnaire and 301 adrenalectomies were reported to be performed in 2008. Most frequent indications were pheochromocytoma (25.2%), non-functioning adenoma (16.2%), aldosteronoma (15.9%), Cushing adenoma (11.2%), metastasis (10.3%), myelolipoma (5.6%), and carcinoma (4.9%). Laparoscopic adrenalectomy was performed in 83.7% of cases (6.7% required conversion to laparotomy). The mean hospital stay was 3.9 days for laparoscopic adrenalectomy and 7.4 days for laparotomy. High-volume units (more than 10 per year) used more frequently the laparoscopic approach (P=.019), and had a shorter overall hospital stay (P<.0001). Laparoscopic adrenalectomy was also associated with a shorter hospital stay (P<.0001).

Laparoscopy for adrenalectomy has become the standard practice in Spain, with good results in terms of morbidity and hospital stay. High volume centres have better results as regards the use of minimally invasive surgery and hospital stay.