[Laparoscopic adrenalectomy: analysis of 65 cases].

The aim of this study was to present our experience with laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Over the period from January 2000 to January 2007, 60 patients (40 M, 20 F; mean age: 52.5 years; range: 16-77 years) underwent adrenalectomy in our department. Five patients were submitted to bilateral adrenalectomy, thus making a total of 65 cases. The indications were the following: non-secreting masses in 21 cases and secreting masses in 44; 29% were incidentalomas. The operation was performed with a transperitoneal lateral approach. The parameters evaluated were operative time, blood loss, and postoperative course. The mean operative time was 140 minutes, with a tendency towards reduced times in the later cases. In 3 cases (5%), conversion to laparotomy proved necessary. We observed only one major complication, consisting in a pancreatic fistula due to removal of tissue from the pancreatic tail. The mean blood loss was estimated at about 49 +/- 50 ml. The mean postoperative stay was 4.5 days. On the basis of our analysis of the results we feel that we can safely claim, in agreement with the literature, that laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for benign disease and that lesions measuring > 6 cm can be dealt with by surgical teams with good laparoscopic experience.