Laparoscopic adrenalectomy: a new standard of care

Adrenalectomy is the mainstay of treatment for adrenal tumors. A variety of surgical approaches to the adrenal gland have been described. We studied the feasibility of laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA), compared laparoscopic with open adrenalectomy (OA), and studied the hemodynamic changes in patients with pheochromocytoma.

Our early experience with 20 consecutive LAs is compared with a contemporaneous, matched control cohort of 20 patients who underwent OA via a flank or subcostal incision. LA was performed via a transperitoneal approach, following a standardized surgical technique.

LA was successfully completed in 18 of 20 cases. Average operating time in the first 5 cases was 261 minutes, but, with further experience, a significant decrease in operative time was seen in the last cohort of 4 patients (155 minutes) (P = 0.0018). There was no significant difference in operative time or degree of blood loss between LA and OA groups. Patients who underwent LA required lower doses of postoperative parenteral narcotics (P = 0.0169), had a shorter hospital stay (mean 3.2 days) (P < 0.0001), and had a shorter convalescent period (mean 3.1 weeks) (P < 0.0001). Complications in the laparoscopic group (chronic port site pain in 1 patient, intra-abdominal fluid collection in another) occurred in the 2 patients who required open conversion. These 2 patients had large adrenal tumors (9 and 7 cm in diameter, respectively). LA resulted in similar hemodynamic changes as OA in patients with pheochromocytoma.

LA is a safe and effective approach in most patients with adrenal pathology. Benefits include excellent operative exposure and visualization, less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay and convalescent period, and improved cosmetic result. Pheochromocytoma is not a contraindication to LA. Patients with large adrenal tumors (larger than 6 cm), evidence of venous involvement, or invasion into surrounding tissue should be approached cautiously.