title: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy: 10-year experience, 67 procedures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term results of laparoscopic adrenalectomies carried out in our center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 67 laparoscopic adrenalectomies were performed during the 10 years between 1995 and 2005 at Shahid Labbafinejad Medical Center. A transperitoneal lateral approach was used in 65 (97.0%) of the patients, and retroperitoneal approach was used in 2 (3.0%). The clinical characteristics and the outcomes were reviewed in a retrospective study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Indications for laparoscopic adrenalectomy in our patients were as follows: pheochromocytoma in 28 patients (41.8%), aldosterone-producing adenoma in 15 (22.4%), pseudocyst in 6 (9.0%), Cushing syndrome (macronodular adrenocortical hyperplasia) in 5 (7.5%), nonfunctioning adenoma (incidentaloma) in 5 (7.5%), myelolipoma in 2 (3.0%), almost normal adrenal tissue in 2 (3.0%), adrenal cyst in 2 (3.0%), adenocarcinoma in 1 (1.4%), and schwannoma in 1 (1.4%). The mean operative time for unilateral cases was 149.0 +/- 36.1 minutes. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 126 +/- 36 mL. Conversion rate to open surgery was 7.5%. Reoperation due to hemorrhage was performed in 1 patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a safe procedure in some adrenal tumors and a reasonable option for selected large adrenal tumors when complete resection is technically feasible and there is no evidence of local invasion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shahid Labbafinejad Medical Center & Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University (MC), Tehran, Iran. simforoosh@iurtc.org.ir
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Simforoosh
authors.forename: Heshmatollah Soufi
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Majidpour
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basiri
authors.forename: Seyyed Amir Mohsen
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ziaee
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Behjati
authors.forename: Faramarz Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Beigi
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aminsharifi
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors