RESUMO
Objective To consider the clinical significance of retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy for adrenal diseases. Methods We analyzed 33 cases of adrenal diseases treated by retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy in this hospital from October 1996 to December 2001. Results Retroperitoneal laparoscopy was successfully applied in 31 cases, whereas conversions to open adrenalectomy were required in the other 2 cases. The mean operation time was 158 min (120 min～200 min). The mean intraoperative blood loss was 150 ml, without blood transfusion needed. The mean length of hospital stay was 6.4 days. Conclusions Compared with open surgery, retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy has the advantages of minimal invasion, less blood loss, fewer complications, quicker recovery and shorter hospital stay length. This procedure can be applied to in the absence of contraindications (such as tumor size being more than 10cm, metastatic carcinoma and vital organs or blood vessels being involved).
