title: Bilateral simultaneous laparoscopic adrenalectomy in Cushing's syndrome: safe, effective, and curative.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgical morbidity and mortality rates are high in patients with Cushing's syndrome. Nevertheless, simultaneous bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) is feasible in these patients with less morbidity and good long-term results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consecutive 22 patients who underwent LA for Cushing's syndrome between 2003 and 2010 in our institute were retrospectively studied. Ninteen patients underwent bilateral simultaneous and three underwent unilateral LA. Seven patients had Cushing's syndrome after failed pituitary surgery and five each had ectopic adrenocorticotrophic hormone dependent syndrome and bilateral macronodular hyperplasia respectively. LA was bilaterally done by lateral transabdominal adrenalectomy in 15 patients and retroperitoneal endoscopic adrenalectomy in 4 on the right side. Mean operative time for simultaneous bilateral cases was 199.45±72.43 minutes with mean blood loss of 72.72±48.6 mL. Patients were fit for discharge by the fifth postoperative day from the surgical aspect. Surgical complication rate was 26% that included wound infections in two, port site hernia, pleural effusion, and atelectasis in one each. One patient died of sepsis (5% mortality). Satisfactory metabolic control was achieved in all observable patients in the long term although Addisonian crisis and Nelson syndrome were seen in 26% and 15% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LA has all advantages of minimal access surgery in patients with Cushing's syndrome who are immunocompromised and at high risk of delayed wound healing and infections. Magnification decreases the risk of retained adrenal remnants. Despite advances in minimal access surgery, perioperative morbidity continues to be significant for the procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Amrita School of Medicine, Kochi, India. balagopalnair@aims.amrita.edu
authors.forename: Balagopal Nair
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Tiyadatah
authors.forename: Sanjeevan V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Kalavampara
authors.forename: Sudhir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sukumar
authors.forename: Georgie
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Ginil Kumar
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Pooleri
authors.forename: Ajish Thankappan
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Prasanna
authors.forename: Unnikrishnan Ambika
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Gopalakrishnan
authors.forename: Sanjay Bhat
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hattangadi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult