title: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for functioning and non-functioning adrenal tumours.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was a retrospective analysis of outcomes following laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) performed for benign adrenal tumours responsible for various endocrinological disorders. The patients were diagnosed with non-functioning (NFT) and functioning adrenal tumours (FT) including pheochromocytoma (PH), Conn's syndrome (CO) and Cushing's (CS) syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 165 LAs were carried out between August 1995 and September 2009 via either the transperitoneal (n = 38) or retroperitoneal (n = 127) approach. The analysed factors included demographic data of patients, the American Association of Anaesthesiology score (ASA), indication for surgery, tumour size and side, intraoperative and postoperative outcome of LA including duration of surgery, blood loss, time until ambulation, length of hospital stay, time until return to normal activity, the complication rate, as well as the conversion rate to open adrenalectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 111 patients with NFT and 54 with FT. Patients with NFT were significantly older than those with CO (p < 0.05). The mean size of the lesion differed between CO and other adrenal tumours (p < 0.05) as well as between NFT and PH (p < 0.05). All the lesions except aldosteronomas were detected predominantly in the right adrenal gland (p < 0.05). However, despite the different characteristic and clinical disorders related to laparoscopically removed adrenal tumours, the intraoperative and postoperative outcomes did not significantly differ in most cases between the analysed groups of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that LA is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated procedure despite the hormonal activity of the removed lesions. Minimal invasive surgery may be recommended as the 'gold standard' in the treatment of both functioning and non-functioning benign tumours of the adrenal gland.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Transplant Surgery, Marie Curie Hospital in Szczecin, Poland. jerzy@lubikowski.pl
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lubikowski
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kiedrowicz
authors.forename: Mikołaj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szajko
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andrysiak-Mamos
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pynka
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wójcicki
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jarosz
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koziołek
authors.forename: Henryk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Mariola
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Post
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Safranow
authors.forename: Anhelli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Syrenicz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000601:surgery*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult