title: Subtotal adrenalectomy by the posterior retroperitoneoscopic approach.
abstract: The retroperitoneoscopic approach offers an established operative procedure for primary adrenal gland tumors. It allows a detailed view of the adrenal gland and its surrounding region. Therefore clear differentiation between normal and neoplastic adrenal tissue is sometimes possible, permitting a planned, unilateral, subtotal resection of the gland. Between July 1994 and August 1997 primary benign adrenal gland tumors (11 Conn adenomas, 4 phenochromocytomas, 4 Cushing adenomas, 3 hormonally inactive tumors; 2.4 +/- 1.2 cm in size; 8 on the right, 14 on the left) were removed from 22 patients by the posterior retroperitoneoscopic approach maintaining tumor-free portions of the ipsilateral adrenal gland. Two patients suffered from bilateral pheochromocytomas associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN-IIa) syndrome and had previously undergone complete adrenalectomy of the contralateral gland. Following subtotal resection the operating time and blood loss did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) from that seen with complete extirpation (46 patients operated during the same period). All patients with Conn adenomas and pheochromocytomas were biochemically and clinically cured (follow-up 11 months; range 1-31 months). The four patients with Cushing adenoma currently require decreasing cortisol substitution. In the two MEN-II patients adrenal gland cortical function could be maintained; one patient is on low-dose steroid supplementation and the other on none. No local recurrence of tumors has been observed. In selected cases the retroperitoneoscopically performed subtotal adrenal gland resection is a safe procedure that can potentially maintain the function of the adrenal gland cortex.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Medical School, University of Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Walz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peitgen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saller
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Giebler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lederbogen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nimtz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Eigler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018813:Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2a / Q000601:surgery; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space