Robotic assisted laparoscopic adrenalectomy: Initial experience from a tertiary care centre in India

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) is now considered the standard for treatment of surgically correctable adrenal disorders. Robotic adrenalectomy has been performed worldwide and has established itself as safe, feasible and effective approach. We hereby present the first study in robotic transperitoneal LA from Indian subcontinent.

We conducted a retrospective evaluation of 25 patients who had undergone robotic assisted LA at a tertiary health centre by a single surgeon. Demographic, clinical, histopathological and perioperative outcome data were collected and analysed.

Mean age of the patients was 45 years (range: 27-65 years). Eleven male and 14 female patients were operated. Mean operative time was 139 min ± 30 min (range: 110-232 min) and mean blood loss was 85 ml ± 12 ml (range: 34-313 ml). Mean hospital stay was 2.5 ± 1.05 days (range: 2-6 days). Mean visual analogue scale score was 3.2 (range: 1-6) mean analgesic requirement was 50 mg diclofenac daily (range: 0-150 mg). Histopathological evaluation revealed 11 adenomas, eight phaeochromocytomas, two adrenocortical carcinomas, and four myelolipomas. According to Clavien-Dindo classification, three patients developed Grade I post-operative complications namely hypotension and pleural effusion.

Robotic adrenalectomy is safe, technically feasible and comfortable to the surgeon. It is easier to perform with a short learning curve.