[Posterior Retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy in the prone position. Initial experience.]

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy (TLA) is standard for small, benign adrenal tumors.
• Posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (PRA) offers potential benefits like shorter surgery and faster recovery.
• PRA involves a unique surgical field, raising questions about its learning curve.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the PRA technique.
• To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of PRA in initial patient series.
• To assess early outcomes of PRA.

Main Methods:

• Prospective analysis of 11 posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomies (PRA) performed between March 2017 and February 2020.
• Data collected included patient demographics, tumor characteristics, operative details, and postoperative outcomes.
• Focus on evaluating the learning curve and initial experience with the PRA technique.

Main Results:

• Median operative time was 87 minutes with minimal blood loss (50 mL).
• No intraoperative complications or need for conversion to open surgery occurred.
• Short hospital stay (median 1 day) and only one postoperative complication were observed.

Conclusions:

• Posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (PRA) is a feasible, reproducible, and safe procedure.
• PRA demonstrates a clear advantage in early recovery and reduced surgical time.
• The technique is effective even during the initial learning phase.