LAPAROSCOPIC ADRENALECTOMY: THE PREFERRED CHOICE? A COMPARISON TO OPEN ADRENALECTOMY

Changing surgical approaches for laparoscopic adrenalectomy: single-surgeon data of a 6-year experience

AIM

To evaluate outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) and laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) for adrenal masses in the light of changing laparoscopic surgical techniques.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seventy-three patients were analyzed retrospectively. There were 2 groups; group 1 included patients who had conventional transperitoneal LA and transperitoneal LESS, and group 2 included patients who had lateral retroperitoneal LA, retroperitoneal LA in prone position, and retroperitoneal LESS. Demographic data, urine 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid, normetanephrine, epinephrine, serum cortisol, aldosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, side and size of mass, conversion to open surgery, complications, estimated blood loss, operation time, pathological results were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

There was no difference in demographic data and serum parameters between both groups. Tumor size, estimated blood loss, operation time, transfusion rate and hospital stay were less for group 2 (p < 0.05, p = 0.0001). However, the complication rate was similar in both groups; in retroperitoneal prone position, the complication rate was less than for other surgical approaches, but statistically significant results could not be assessed.

CONCLUSIONS

Even if the diameter of adrenal mass is larger than 6 cm, LA may be considered as the gold standard. The retroperitoneal approach especially in prone position may be a promising treatment method in the near future for adrenalectomy in selected patients.

USE OF THE LIGASURE VESSEL SEALING SYSTEM IN LAPAROSCOPIC ADRENALECTOMY

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the operation of choice for benign adrenal lesions. During laparoscopic surgery, vessels are usually ligated with diathermy, ligaclips, staplers or ultrasonic coagulators. Use of the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealer (LigaSure; Valleylab, Boulder, CO, USA) has recently been described in a variety of procedures, not including adrenalectomy. This article is a retrospective study of 28 patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy within the University of Sydney Endocrine Surgical Unit at the Royal North Shore Hospital using the LigaSure vessel sealing system. Between July 2004 and August 2005, 28 consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy using the LigaSure vessel sealing system to divide feeding adrenal vessels as well as the adrenal vein. There were no bleeding complications. The LigaSure vessel sealing system can be safely used to secure haemostasis, including division of the adrenal vein, in laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for functioning and non-functioning adrenal tumors: analysis of surgical aspects based on histological types

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether hormonal functions of the tumor influence the operative results of laparoscopic adrenalectomy, and to analyse the clinical outcomes in patients with various hormonally active adrenal tumors.

METHODS

Clinical and pathological records of 68 patients were reviewed. The average age of patients was 40 years (range 20-75); 39 were women and 29 men. For the comparison, patients were divided into the non-functioning tumor group (n = 22) and the functioning tumor group (n = 46).

RESULTS

All laparoscopic adrenalectomies were finished successfully, and no open surgery was necessary. The median operative time and blood loss in the two groups were similar; however, in subgroup analysis, operative time for pheochromocytoma was significantly longer than that for non-functioning tumor (P = 0.044). No difference was noted in intra- and postoperative data between the groups. Of the 22 patients with aldosteronoma, 18 (81.8%) became normotensive and no longer required postoperative blood pressure medications. Adrenalectomy led to an overall reduction in the median number of antihypertensive medications (P < 0.001). All patients with Cushing adenoma had resolution or improvement of the signs and symptoms during follow-up periods. There was no evidence of biochemical or clinical recurrence in any patient with pheochromocytoma.

CONCLUSION

The results of this retrospective review document that laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a safe and effective treatment for functioning as well as non-functioning adrenal tumors, although endocrinologic features may play a significant role.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy in patients with large adrenal tumors

OBJECTIVES

The maximum size of adrenal tumors that should be removed by laparoscopic adrenalectomy is controversial. We conducted a retrospective comparison of the results of laparoscopic adrenalectomy between patients with adrenal tumors > or =6 cm ('large tumors') and patients with adrenal tumors <6 cm ('small tumors').

METHODS

The participants in the study were 16 patients with large tumors and 111 patients with small tumors. The patients comprised 59 men and 68 women (mean age, 49.0 years; age range, 23-79) with varying diagnoses. Of the 16 patients with large tumors, five had Cushing's syndrome, four had pheochromocytomas, six had a non-functional tumor and one had malignant lymphoma. Adrenal tumors were confirmed by hormonal assays, biochemical tests and computed tomography. Of the 16 large tumors, five tumors were on the right and 11 were on the left.

RESULTS

We found no significant differences in general demographic parameters between patients with large and small tumors. The mean duration of surgery was not significantly different between two groups. (large tumors, 210 min; small tumors,175 min). The mean volume of blood loss was 212 mL for large tumors and 30 mL for small tumors (P < 0.001, significant difference). There was no significant difference in time until walking, duration of hospitalization or number of using analgesics used. The time to first oral intake of group 1 (<6 cm) was significantly shorter than group 2 (> or =6 cm). Tumor size (> or =7.5 cm) was an independent predictor of a longer operation and greater blood loss in large tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for large tumors was safe and minimally invasive.

Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy for Large Adrenal Tumors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy remains a controversial procedure for large tumors. We examined the outcome and complications of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for such lesions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 178 patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy, of whom 29 patients had large (>or =5 cm) tumors. Their mean age was 47.9 years (range 21-72 years), and the mean tumor size was 6.5 cm (range 5.0-11.0 cm). They were compared with patients whose adrenal tumors were <5 cm.

RESULTS

The large-tumor group had a mean operating time of 176 +/- 48 minutes (range 84-278 minutes) and a mean blood loss of 136.6 mL (range 10-800 mL) and required a mean of 1.8 days before starting oral intake. None of these values is significantly different from the results in the control group (P > 0.05). The length of recovery was significantly longer in the large-tumor group (5.4 v 4.5 days; P < 0.05), but this was not true if a patient with a 23-day postoperative stay is excluded. The overall incidence of complications was 12% in the large-tumor group, which was not significantly different from that in the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The operating time, blood loss, and incidence of complications after laparoscopic adrenalectomy did not differ between the patients with large and small adrenal tumors, indicating that experienced surgeons can safely and effectively use laparoscopy for larger tumors. However, it is necessary to consider carefully whether laparoscopic surgery is indicated for tumors that show infiltration on preoperative imaging or for patients who have undergone previous upper-retroperitoneal surgery.

Efficacy and safety of laparoscopic surgery for pheochromocytoma

OBJECTIVE

Laparoscopic surgery for primary aldosteronoma and Cushing's syndrome is well established. We report on our experiences with laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma, and assess the efficacy and safety of the laparoscopic approach.

METHODS

Between April 1998 and April 2003, a total of 23 patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma at Chiba University Hospital and Yokohama Rosai Hospital, Japan. We compared the surgical outcomes of these patients with those of 106 patients with adrenal tumors due to other pathologies who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy during the same period.

RESULTS

The mean tumor size of pheochromocytoma was 4.96 cm. Mean operative time was 192.7 min, and mean estimated blood loss was 130 mL. Neither mean operative time nor mean estimated blood loss was greater for patients with pheochromocytoma. Intraoperative hypertension (systolic blood pressure > 180 mmHg) occurred in 39.1% (9/23) of patients with pheochromocytoma. During the follow-up period, there were no mortalities or recurrences of endocrinopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma is a safe and minimally invasive procedure.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a safe and effective treatment for most surgical diseases of the adrenal gland. However it has been suggested that catecholamine effects associated with pheochromocytoma render the laparoscopic approach a more challenging and a more morbid procedure. The purpose of this study was to compare the operative characteristics and outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma to those of aldosteronoma and incidentaloma.

METHOD

Patient records and operative reports were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, diagnoses, operative management, and outcomes for patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy between June 1994 and July 2002 at two academic medical centers. A total of 74 patients were included and analyzed by diagnosis. Differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight patients with pheochromocytoma, 27 with aldosteronoma, and 19 with incidentally discovered nonfunctioning adrenal masses underwent laparascopic adrenalectomy. Patients undergoing resection for pheochromocytoma trended toward more operative blood loss (150 ml) compared to aldosteronoma (88 ml) and incidentaloma (75 ml). Eight patients were converted to an open procedure for a 10.8% conversion rate. The mean operative time was 171 min and there was a 10.8% perioperative complication rate. The mean hospital stay was 3.4 days. These results were not statistically significant between diagnostic groups.

CONCLUSION

Despite concern about increased operative times and morbidity associated with pheochromocytoma, our experience supports that laparoscopic adrenalectomy may be performed as safely as, and achieve outcomes similar to, those for other diseases.

Laparoscopic treatment of adrenal diseases: 10 years on

Since it was initially described in 1992 laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) has been gaining popularity amongst urologists and its range of applications has progressively widened. Ten years after the first report of LA this type of operation is presently considered to be the 'standard of care' for most adrenal diseases requiring surgery. We define the current role of laparoscopy in the management of surgical adrenal diseases, using a Medline search (1997-2002) to assess reports of LA, focusing on indications, approaches (transperitoneal and retroperitoneoscopic) and comparative analyses, taking particular care to evaluate operative duration, rate of conversion and transfusion, complications and hospital stay. With both approaches LA is safe and effective and, when compared with open surgery, offers the same functional results with all the advantages of minimally invasive surgery. We conclude that LA based on either approach should be considered the treatment of choice for benign adrenal lesions. Although very promising, conservative surgery and LA should still be evaluated in cases of malignancy.

Laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy for recurrent pheochromocytoma after open partial adrenalectomy in von Hippel-Lindau disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Unilateral total adrenalectomy is the standard treatment for benign unilateral adrenal tumors. Partial adrenalectomy has to be considered for bilateral adrenal tumors. Recently, our group has reported the feasibility of unilateral and bilateral partial adrenalectomy by means of laparoscopy. Now, we present a case of recurrent pheochromocytoma after open bilateral adrenalectomy and demonstrate that laparoscopic cortex-sparing surgery is feasible for a recurrence after open surgery.

CASE REPORT

At the age of 10 years, a boy was found to have bilateral adrenal pheochromocytoma and was treated by open bilateral partial adrenalectomy. Eight years later, the patient presented with palpitation, sweating, and severe hypertension. Investigations biochemically and radiologically demonstrated functional recurrent pheochromocytoma in the left adrenal gland. Genetic studies confirmed mutation of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene. The patient was prepared for surgery preoperatively by phenoxybenzamine and metropolol. The surgery was performed as planned, and the normal adrenal tissue was spared. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course. His blood pressure was normal on the day of discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

In a specialized center with experienced laparoscopic surgeons, laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy for recurrent pheochromocytoma is feasible even after previous open surgery on the ipsilateral adrenal gland. Adrenal-sparing surgery is indicated in hereditary syndromes such as VHL and MEN II to avoid the problems of life-long steroid replacement. Recurrences have to be expected, but further surgery may be less difficult by the previous laparoscopic approach.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy: the optimal surgical approach

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has emerged as the treatment of choice for most adrenal surgical disorders. We describe our experience with 176 laparoscopic operations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The patients were treated for hyperaldosteronism (N = 62), pheochromocytoma (N = 43), "incidentaloma" (N = 21), Cushing's syndrome (N = 20), suspected adrenal metastasis (N = 16), Cushing's disease (N = 8), adrenal hemorrhage (N = 3), or virilizing tumor (N = 1). In 154 of the 176 laparoscopic operations, a lateral transabdominal approach (15 bilateral, 76 left, and 63 right) was used. In the remaining 22, a posterior laparoscopic approach (3 bilateral, 10 left, and 9 right) was used.

RESULTS

The average total operating time for unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy was 2.8 hours, and for bilateral adrenalectomy, it was 5.2 hours. The mean tumor size was 4.6 cm (range 1-15 cm). There was no significant difference in operating time according to the tumor size. The average length of hospitalization was 1.7 days (range 1-9 days). The perioperative complication rate was 5.1%. There were no conversions to an open procedure. The operating time, length of hospitalization, and perioperative complication rate were stable over the period. Although we used the posterior laparoscopic approach only for smaller tumors (<6 cm), we found no differences in patient outcome between the lateral and posterior laparoscopic approaches.

CONCLUSION

For almost all adrenal surgical disorders, an initial laparoscopic approach is optimal. It is safe and is associated with the best patient outcome.