title: Initial experience of laparoscopic resection of adrenal tumours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report our initial experience with laparoscopic resection of adrenal masses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Teaching hospital, France.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five consecutive patients who required adrenalectomy between May 1993 and January 1994.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adrenalectomy through four trocars with the patient semisupine and in a slight reverse Trendelenburg position.
  
  
  METHODS
  Morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three left and two right adrenal glands were removed in a median time of 190 minutes. The patients were all women, median age 65 years (range 57 to 71). The aetiology included non-functioning adenomas (n = 2), primary aldosteronism, Cushing's adenoma, and a metastasis from a cancer of the bladder. The median tumour size was 5.5 cm (range 3 to 9). In one patient the procedure was converted to an open operation because exposure of the gland was inadequate. The median postoperative stay was 6 days (range 4-12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our initial experience supports that from other centres in that we found that the laparoscopic approach is suitable for resection of adrenal masses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Video-Surgery and Hepatic Transplantation, St Roch Hospital, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casaccia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toouli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fabiani
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mouiel
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies