Laparoscopic hand-assisted adrenal sparing surgery for a giant adrenal myelolipoma: A case report

Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare, benign tumor. Surgical resection is advocated in case of symptomatic, large size (> 4cm), increase of size on follow-up and atypical appearance on imaging. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is currently the gold standard operation for managing benign adrenal mass. However, to date, laparoscopic entire resection of ipsilateral adrenal gland with the tumor have been mainly reported in the literature. Under clinical circumstances, adrenal sparing surgery underused as first-line therapy for adrenal tumors.

We present a case of adrenal myelolipoma involving the right adrenal gland of a 45-year-old woman who presented with right-sided flank pain. On radiologic and endocrine evaluation, she was diagnosed with a giant adrenal myelolipoma (> 8cm). Right hand-assisted laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy was performed, and postoperative recovery was uneventful. Finally, histological examination confirmed adrenal myelolipoma. On follow-up computed tomography, there was no residual tumor and the remaining right adrenal gland.

Our report suggests that hand-assisted laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy could be considered for appropriate removal of adrenal myelolipoma, even in giant adrenal myelolipoma.