Increased complication rate in obese patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy.
OBJECTIVE
Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become the standard of care for resection of adrenal masses, with extremely low morbidity and mortality. This study investigates the difference in outcomes in patients who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy, comparing obese with healthy  weight patients.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review was performed on patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy between January 2000 and February 2010. Intraoperative and postoperative complications in the patients were compared. A patient with a body mass index >30kg/m(2)  was considered obese.


RESULTS
Eighty patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy between January 2000 and February 2010. Forty-nine patients (61%) were considered obese based on the body mass index criteria. Operative time, estimated blood loss, and length of stay did not differ  significantly between the 2 cohort groups. There was no 30-day mortality in the population. There were 9 complications in the obese population and no complications in the healthy weight population (P<.011). Four obese patients had intraoperative complications, and 5 obese patients had postoperative  morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant increase occurred in intraoperative and postoperative complications for obese individuals undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy compared with healthy weight individuals. However, high body mass index should not preclude elective laparoscopic  adrenalectomy.
Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA.
Horatiu C
HC
Dancea
Vladan
V
Obradovic
Jennifer
J
Sartorius
Nicole
N
Woll
Joseph A
JA
Blansfield
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018207:Angiomyolipoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology