Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery adrenalectomy - own experience and matched case-control study with standard laparoscopic adrenalectomy

Laparoendoscopic single-site adrenalectomy versus multi-port laparoendoscopic adrenalectomy: A systemic review and meta-analysis

Background

To investigate the outcomes of laparoendoscopic single-site adrenalectomy (LESS-A) compared to multi-port laparoendoscopic adrenalectomy (m-LA).

Methods

Studies comparing LESS-A with m-LA were identified from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library before June 2020. Post-operative pain, resumption outcomes, and perioperative outcomes were analyzed. We conducted meta-analyses using the Mantel-Haenszel method with random-effects model. Subset analyses were conducted according to peritoneal and retroperitoneal approaches. A small study effect was illustrated using funnel plots and Egger's test.

Results

One randomized controlled trial (RCT) and nineteen retrospective cohort studies involving 1554 patients were included for analyzed. Pooled analysis showed that LESS-A had significantly lower postoperative pain scores (MD −0.77, 95%CI −1.45 to −0.10) and less pain medication used (RR 0.74, 95%CI 0.60 to 0.91) compared to m-LA. Besides, LESS-A had significantly shorter hospital stays (MD −0.75, 95%CI −1.18 to −0.33), shorter duration of oral intake resumption (MD −0.33, 95%CI −0.60 to −0.06), and better cosmetic satisfaction (SMD 1.15, 95%CI 0.21 to −2.09). As for perioperative outcomes, LESS-A led to significant longer operative time (MD 13.43, 95%CI 4.08 to 22.77). No significant differences were observed in terms of the remaining perioperative outcomes.

Conclusions

LESS-A is associated with less post-operative pain and quicker recovery duration. However, the longer operative time of LESS-A compared with m-LA is a drawback.

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Multi-port laparoscopic adrenalectomy (m-LA) is widely used for treatment of benign adrenal tumor.

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Laparoscopic single-site adrenalectomy (LESS-A) had significant less post-operative pain and less pain medication consumption comparing with m-LA.

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LESS-A had better resumption outcomes, including shorter hospital stay and quicker post-operative oral intake.

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LESS-A offer better cosmetic satisfaction.

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Longer operative time is a drawback of LESS-A.

Laparoendoscopic single-site nephrectomy with the aid of intraabdominal retractors

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of a novel intraabdominal retractor device in laparoendoscopic single-site nephrectomy(LESS-N).

METHODS

Between February 2012 and February 2017, 98 patients underwent LESS-N in our institution, including 38 patients with benign renal disease and 60 patients with malignant renal disease. 39 were performed conventional LESS-N(C-LESS-N) and 59 were performed intraabdominal retractor-assisted LESS-N(IAR-LESS-N). Demographic data, and perioperative and postoperative data were collected and analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

All the procedures were completed successfully. In C-LESS-N group, four patients were added one 5-mm additional trocar and two patients were converted to open surgery. In IAR-LESS-N group, no patients required additional trocars or conversion to open surgery. The mean operative time was lower in IAR-LESS-N group than that in C-LESS-N group (94.2 min vs 127.4 min, P < 0.05). The mean renal vascular management time declined from 25.4 min in C-LESS-N group to 18.4 min in IAR-LESS-N group (P < 0.05). The mean estimated blood loss was 128.6 ml in C-LESS-N group and 102.3 ml in IAR-LESS-N group (P < 0.05). Two patients in C-LESS-N group required blood transfusion, while none of the patients in IAR-LESS-N group did. No severe postoperative complications occurred in both groups. Study limitations included retrospective study, short follow-up, and accumulated surgical experience and skills.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraabdominal retractors allow performance of LESS-N with improved working space, quicker renal hilar management, and shortened total operative time. It is expected that the application of intraabdominal retractors, along with the new robotic platform might revive LESS and translate into a renewed future interest of LESS.

Right adrenal gland pseudocyst masquerading as a large symptomatic hepatic cyst: Single incision laparoscopic (SILS) resection and a review of current literature

Adrenal pseudocysts are rare entities, which are usually asymptomatic. Large symptomatic adrenal pseudocysts may cause compressive symptoms. The etiology of these cysts is unknown, although the cyst wall is all lined by fibrous tissue, without any epithelial or endothelial lining. We report a case of a 26-year-old lady who presented with a symptomatic right adrenal pseudocyst measuring 7.6 cm in size. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the presence of a right retroperitoneal cystic lesion which was hyperintense on T2 sequencing. An attempted single incision transumbilical laparoscopic surgery (SILS) was performed to excise the right adrenal pseudocyst. However, due to the retro-hepatic nature of the lesion and as the medial wall of the cyst was adherent to the inferior vena cava, an additional 5 mm port was inserted to facilitate retraction of the liver. The post-operative period was uneventful. She was successfully discharged from the hospital as a day surgery patient. The final pathology showed an adrenal pseudocyst.

Laparoscopic left and right adrenalectomy from an anterior approach - is there any difference? Outcomes in 176 consecutive patients

Introduction

Traditionally, in open surgery, right adrenalectomy is considered technically more demanding than its left-sided counterpart. This belief is supposed to be attributable mainly to different anatomic characteristics of the adrenal veins. Whether this opinion is also correct for laparoscopic adrenalectomy remains elusive.

Aim

To compare the outcomes of left versus right laparoscopic adrenalectomy from an anterior approach.

Material and methods

Retrospective statistical analysis of a prospectively compiled database of consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy in a single center with focus on potential differences in the left- versus right-sided procedure in terms of demographic parameters, tumor size, operating time, occurrence of serious intraoperative complications, conversion, length of hospital stay and re-operation rate.

Results

One hundred seventy-six patients underwent elective laparoscopic adrenalectomy – 80 left-sided (45.45%) and 96 right-sided (54.55%). No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of age (54.09 ±11.2 vs. 56.27 ±11.6; p = 0.2), tumor size (3.39 ±1.86 vs. 3.26 ±1.66; p = 0.64), operating time (71.84 ±22.33 vs. 72.06 ±30.99; p = 0.95), occurrence of serious intraoperative complications (7.5% vs. 10.4%; p = 0.5), conversion (1.25% vs. 1.04%; p = 0.9), length of hospital stay (4.52 ±1.30 vs. 4.37 ±1.91; p = 0.55) or reoperation rate (5% vs. 1%; p = 0.11). There was no mortality.

Conclusions

No significant difference was found between the left and right laparoscopic adrenalectomy in terms of operating time, occurrence of serious intraoperative complications, conversion rate or postoperative outcome. Therefore, the opinion that the right-sided procedure is more difficult does not seem to be justified for laparoscopic adrenalectomy from the anterior approach.

Impact of novel techniques on minimally invasive adrenal surgery: trends and outcomes from a contemporary international large series in urology

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate contemporary international trends in the implementation of minimally invasive adrenalectomy and to assess contemporary outcomes of different minimally invasive techniques performed at urologic centers worldwide.

METHODS

A retrospective multinational multicenter study of patients who underwent minimally invasive adrenalectomy from 2008 to 2013 at 14 urology institutions worldwide was included in the analysis. Cases were categorized based on the minimally invasive adrenalectomy technique: conventional laparoscopy (CL), robot-assisted laparoscopy (RAL), laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS), and mini-laparoscopy (ML). The rates of the four treatment modalities were determined according to the year of surgery, and a regression analysis was performed for trends in all surgical modalities.

RESULTS

Overall, a total of 737 adrenalectomies were performed across participating institutions and included in this analysis: 337 CL (46 % of cases), 57 ML (8 %), 263 LESS (36 %), and 80 RA (11 %). Overall, 204 (28 %) operations were performed with a retroperitoneal approach. The overall number of adrenalectomies increased from 2008 to 2013 (p = 0.05). A transperitoneal approach was preferred in all but the ML group (p < 0.001). European centers mostly adopted CL and ML techniques, whereas those from Asia and South America reported the highest rate in LESS procedures, and RAL was adopted to larger extent in the USA. LESS had the fastest increase in utilization at 6 %/year. The rate of RAL procedures increased at slower rates (2.2 %/year), similar to ML (1.7 %/year). Limitations of this study are the retrospective design and the lack of a cost analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Several minimally invasive surgical techniques for the management of adrenal masses are successfully implemented in urology institutions worldwide. CL and LESS seem to represent the most commonly adopted techniques, whereas ML and RAL are growing at a slower rate. All the MIS techniques can be safely and effectively performed for a variety of adrenal disease.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma is more difficult compared to other adrenal tumors

Introduction

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the gold standard for the treatment of benign adrenal tumors. However, some authors raise the problem of differences in surgery for pheochromocytoma in comparison to other lesions.

Aim

To compare laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma and for other tumors.

Material and methods

Four hundred and thirty-seven patients with adrenal tumors were included in the retrospective analysis. Patients were divided into two groups: 1 (124 patients treated for pheochromocytoma) and 2 (313 patients with other types of tumor). The two groups were compared with respect to mean operative time, intraoperative blood loss, conversion rate, complication rate and the relationship of tumor size with operative time.

Results

The mean operative time in group 1 was 91 min, and in group 2 it was 82 min (p = 0.016). In both groups 1 and 2, tumor size correlated with operative time (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0003, respectively). The mean blood loss in groups 1 and 2 was 117 ml and 54 ml, respectively (p = 0.0011). The complication rate in groups 1 and 2 was 4% and 4.2%, respectively (p = 0.9542). In groups 1 and 2, conversion was necessary in 2 (1.6%) and 5 (1.6%) cases, respectively (p = 0.9925).

Conclusions

Longer operative time and higher blood loss after laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma indicate its greater difficulty. However, despite these drawbacks, minimally invasive surgery still seems to be an effective and safe method.