title: Ten year experience of retroperitoneal laparoscopic resection for pheochromocytomas: A dual-centre study of 72 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of retroperitoneal laparoscopic resection in patients with pheochromocytoma in a retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data of patients with adrenal and extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas, operated on between September 1998 and September 2008 at two institutions, including information on patient demographics, surgical procedure, complications and hospital stay were retrieved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-two retroperitoneal laparoscopic resections were performed (68 patients, 30 males/38 females). Mean age was 51.4 years (15-87 years). Four patients had a bilateral pheochromocytoma. Median BMI was 27 kg/m(2) (interquartile range 23-29). Mean tumour diameter was 4.6 cm (1.3-9). Thirteen patients had a tumour >6 cm. Mean operation time was 110 min (40-210), and median blood loss during surgery was 160 ml (0-1200 ml). Duration of surgery significantly increased with BMI (p = 0.004) and tumour size (p = 0.004). Four patients required conversion to open surgery (two bleeding, one severe adhesion to inferior vena cava and one renal artery aneurysm). Five patients required a blood transfusion with minor postoperative complications in three patients. Major perioperative haemodynamic variations (systolic blood pressure > 180 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure < 70 mmHg) were observed in 54 % of patients, 30 % required postoperative adrenergic drug treatment. The only predictive factor of a perioperative haemodynamic complication was the high level of normetanephrine in the preoperative blood samples. The median postoperative hospital stay was 4.5 days. Blood loss, postoperative complication and postoperative hospital stay did not increase in patients with tumours >6 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery for pheochromocytoma is reproducible, safe and effective.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Urologie, Groupe Hospitalier du Havre, Hôpital Jacques Monod, BP 24, 76083, Le Havre, France, defourmestrauxaude@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Fourmestraux
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salomon
authors.forename: Claude-Clément
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Abbou
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grise
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D061887:Conversion to Open Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult