Comparison of Laparascopic and Open Adrenalectomy

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy, which was performed successfully for the first time in 1992, has become the preferred method in adrenal surgery especially in adrenal diseases. In this study, our aim is to compare the demographic and operative data of laparoscopic and open adrenalectomies performed in the general surgery clinic of our hospital. Methods: The records of the patients who were operated in hospital due to a surrenal mass between August 2006 and December 2012 have been retrospectively assessed. Demographic characteristics of the patients, such as age, sex, the size and location of tumors were included. Surgical indications were classified in terms of their radiologic and biochemical investigations. Type of the surgery (lateral transperitoneal laparoscopic or open approach), the incision used in these surgeries (midline, subcoastal and paramedian), the length of operation, the length of hospital stay, postoperative complications and the final pathology results were all examined. Results: During the afformentioned period, adrenalectomy was performed in 106 patients. Eighty of these patients (%75,4) were operated by open and 26 of them (%24,6) by lateral transperitoneal laparoscopic surgery. Subcostal incision was used 61 of 80 patients (% 82,4), whereas 17 patients (% 22,9) were operated by midline incision and 2(% 2,7) were by paramedian incision. No mortality was encountered. Operation time was statistically significantly shorter in the open group (p<0,0166). Duration of hospital stay was statistically significantly longer in open group (p<0,0083). Hospital stay time was statistically significantly longer in midline incision group (p<0,0083). Except for the weight of masses, statistically significant difference was not found between two groups (laparascopic and open surgery) in demographic and operative features (age,gender,side,pathological diagnose,size of mass) releated to postoperative complications. Conclusion: In carefully selected group of patients laparoscopic adrenalectomy offered lesser postoperative hospital stay than the open adrenalectomy. The longer operative time can be decreased when more experience is gained in laparascopic adrenalectomy. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy should be preferred in adrenal disease as the gold standard in centers with completed learning curve.