Posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy--results of 560 procedures in 520 patients.

Background: The posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy is less popular than the laparoscopic transabdominal method. Due to the direct approach to the adrenal glands, however, the posterior retroperitoneal access is easy to use and may offer advantages not available with other endoscopic procedures for adrenalectomy.

Methods: Between July 1994 and March 2006, we performed 560 adrenalectomies (right side: n = 258; left side: n = 302) by the posterior retroperitoneoscopic approach in 520 patients (200 male, 320 female; age, 10 to 83 years).