title: Laparoscopic management of symptomatic and large adrenal cysts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We present the feasibility and results of the laparoscopic management of symptomatic and large adrenal cysts.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 1993 to April 2004 we performed 149 laparoscopic adrenalectomies. In this series 8 patients with symptomatic adrenal cysts or pseudocysts were treated laparoscopically. Surgical indications for laparoscopic management of adrenal cysts were abdominal pain in 5 cases and cyst size 5 cm or greater in 3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of adrenal cyst was 5.4% (8 of 149 cases). Six patients underwent laparoscopic adrenal cyst decortication and marsupialization, 1 underwent laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy and 1 underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Mean operative time was 77.5 minutes. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Mean hospital stay was 1.7 days. At a mean followup of 18.5 months all patients were asymptomatic and without radiographic evidence of cyst recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic conservative management of adrenal cysts is safe and feasible. Laparoscopic decortication and marsupialization should be the preferred treatment option for symptomatic adrenal cysts. Laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy or a total adrenalectomy can be performed in cases of larger cysts which compromise most of the adrenal gland. To our knowledge, this represents the largest series of symptomatic adrenal cysts managed laparoscopically.
authors.affiliation: Section of Urology, Clinica Santa Maria, Department of Urology, Facultad de Medicina Oriente, Universidad de Chile, Santiago Chile.
authors.forename: Octavio A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Litvak
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kerkebe
authors.forename: Ruben D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Urena
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000307:Adrenal Gland Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged