Transperitoneal Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy for Adrenal Tumours: Experience with 54 Patients

Objective: To present our laparoscopic surgery experience in the treatment of adrenal masses. Methods: Between January 2008 and March 2015, a total of 58 adrenal glands in 54 patients (39 females, 15 males) underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy (TLA) to remove an adrenal mass. The patients underwent hormonal evaluation, triphasic magnetic resonance imaging, and/or abdominal computed tomography. Thirty-one patients (57.4%) had a hormonally active adrenal mass. Results: Twenty-nine right, 21 left, and 4 bilateral TLA were performed. The mean age and body mass index of the patients were 49.5±11.2 years and 27.2±4.3 kg/m2, respectively. The mean adrenal mass size, operation time, estimated blood loss, and hospitalisation duration were 35.9±15.0 mm, 92.7±29.6 minutes, 50.8±33.1 ml, and 3.7±2.5 days, respectively. No minor or major complications were observed postoperatively. In pathological examinations, 38 (70.3%) patients had adenoma or adrenal hyperplasia, 8 (14.7%) had pheochromocytoma, 2 (3.7%) had periadrenal paraganglioma, 2 (3.7%) had adrenal cysts, 1 (1.9%) had schwannoma, 1 (1.9%) had myelolipoma, 1 (1.9%) had myeloid metaplasia, and 1 (1.9%) had adrenal cortical carcinoma. Conclusion: TLA is a safe and efficient minimally invasive treatment option with a low morbidity rate in the surgical treatment of adrenal masses.