Retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy in 35 cases

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy for benign adrenal tumors.Methods: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy was conducted in 35 cases of adrenal tumor.The cases included 15 aldosterone-producing adenomas,9 Cushing's syndromes,6 pheochromocytomas and 5 nonfunctional adrenal adenomas.B ultrasound and CT/MRI were used to diagnose all patients preoperatively.Results: All operations were completed successfully without any severe complications.The time of the operations was 50-160 min.The blood loss was 40-300 ml.The diameter of tumor was 1-6.5 cm.The postoperative hospital stay was 5-7 days.The patients were followed up for 3 to 26 months.Normal blood pressure was achieved in 32 patients in 3 months after operation and oral antihypertensive drugs were still needed in other 3 patients.Conclusions: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy should be considered as the first choice for treatment of benign adrenal diseases with the advantages of less trauma,less blood loss and faster postoperative recovery.Indications should base on the pathologic type and tumor size strictly.