20-year experience with laparoscopic adrenalectomy at a high-volume center

Area of Science:

• Endocrine Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Increasing detection of adrenal diseases due to advanced imaging.
• Laparoscopic adrenalectomy established as the gold standard treatment.
• Comparison with rising popularity of robotic-assisted surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomies.
• Analyze outcomes over a 20-year period (2002-2021).
• Assess safety and efficacy in a large patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 405 patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy.
• Inclusion criteria: symptomatic tumors, cysts, carcinomas, incidentalomas.
• Data collected: demographics, imaging, operative details, complications, pathology.

Main Results:

• 52.1% female patients, mean age 55.6 years.
• Right-sided procedures more frequent (54.39%).
• High success rate with only 2 conversions to open surgery and no mortality; 92.6% had minor complications (Clavien-Dindo Grade I).

Conclusions:

• Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a safe surgical approach.
• Confirms laparoscopic adrenalectomy as the gold standard for adrenal disease management.
• Low complication rates highlight the procedure's efficacy and safety.