ABSTRACT
AIM: Analyse the results after 8 years of experience in the laparoscopic treatment of adrenal surgical pathology. MATERIAL OF STUDY: This is a descriptive retrospective observational study. We analysed the following variables: sex, age, preoperative diagnosis, lesion size (cm) and laterality, operative time series (minutes), conversion to open surgery (%), postoperative complications, average length of hospital stay (days) and the results of pathological anatomy. RESULTS: Fiftyseven laparoscopic adrenalectomy in 56 patients operated between May 2003 and September 2010. The average age of patients was 51.2 years (±17.12). 50% of laparoscopic transperitoneal surrenalectomy was performed on male patients. The pathologic diagnosis of lesions were 25 cortical adenoma (44%), 16 pheochromocytomas (28%), 4 nodular hyperplasia (7%), 6 metastases of carcinoma of the lung (10%) and 2 metastatic malignant histiocytomas (5%), 2 ganglioneuromas (5%) and 2 myelolipomas (5%). DISCUSSION: In light of the results obtained in large published series 2-8, laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become the treatment of choice for tumours of the adrenal gland, fulfilling the goals of traditional surgery with the advantages of minimally invasive surgery. Several studies have highlighted the advantages of laparoscopic surgery compared to open surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has proved to be the gold standard in the treatment of benign tumours and, is taking hold in the case of well-selected malignant tumours and in strict accordance with the criteria that should guide any surgical oncology.
