Transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy: five years' experience with 35 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To present our laparoscopic surgery experience in the treatment of adrenal masses.


METHODS
Between January 2008 and February 2013, a total of 35 patients (24 females, 11 males) underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy to treat an adrenal mass. The patients underwent hormonal evaluation, chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging, or abdominal computed tomography. Twenty-seven patients (77.1%) had a hormone-active adrenal mass.


RESULTS
Eighteen right, 16 left, and one bilateral transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomies were performed. The mean age and body mass index of the patients were 47.4 years and 26.6 kg/m(2), respectively. The mean adrenal mass size, operation time, estimated blood loss, and hospitalization duration were 41.9 mm, 94.7 min, 30 cc, and 2.4 days, respectively. No minor or major complications were observed perioperatively or postoperatively. In one patient (2.8%), the laparoscopic approach was converted to open surgery due to severe bradycardia resulting from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Histopathological examinations revealed adrenocortical hyperplasia in 23 (66%) patients, benign pheochromocytoma in 8 (22.8%) patients, and periadrenal paraganglioma, adrenocortical carcinoma, myeloid metaplasia, and myelolipoma in one (2.8%) patient for each entity.


CONCLUSIONS
Transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a safe and efficient minimally invasive treatment option with a low morbidity rate in the surgical treatment of adrenal masses.
Third Department of Urology, Ministry of Health, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Altuğ
A
Tuncel
Third Department of Urology, Ministry of Health, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Melih
M
Balcı
Third Department of Urology, Ministry of Health, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Ersin
E
Köseoğlu
Third Department of Urology, Ministry of Health, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Yılmaz
Y
Aslan
Third Department of Urology, Ministry of Health, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Özer
Ö
Güzel
Third Department of Urology, Ministry of Health, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Tanju
T
Keten
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ministry of Health, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Dilek
D
Berker
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ministry of Health, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Serdar
S
Göler
Third Department of Urology, Ministry of Health, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Ali
A
Atan
Adrenal gland; laparoscopy; mass; treatment