Complications of laparoscopic adrenalectomy in 75 patients treated by the same surgeon.

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed the complications of endoscopic adrenalectomy.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the operative and postoperative complications among 75 patients with adrenal tumors who underwent endoscopic adrenalectomy by the same surgeon.

RESULTS: Five patients (6.7%) were converted to open surgery. Of these, there were 2 with metastatic adrenal carcinoma, and 1 with adrenal tuberculosis. A total of 21 patients (28%) had 24 complications (32%). There was no mortality. As for access and pneumoperitoneum-related complications, 5 cases of subcutaneous emphysema and 3 of radiating shoulder pain occurred. Intraoperative complications included 2 cases of vascular injury, 2 of organ injury, and 4 of massive bleeding (>500 ml). Postoperative complications included 2 cases of mild paralytic ileus, 2 asthma, and 1 each of angina, wound infection, retroperitoneal hematoma, and contralateral atelectasis. Except for the patients with adrenal malignancy and adrenal tuberculosis, 71% of the complications occurred among the initial 25 patients with laparoscopic adrenalectomy and 80% occurred in the initial 10 retroperitoneoscopic patients.

CONCLUSION: Although endoscopic adrenalectomy is a valuable alternative to open surgery, it should be done by a skilled laparoscopist in patients with adrenal inflammatory lesions or malignancy. Careful patient selection and correct choice of surgical approach according to the tumor size and the patient's condition are the most important points for avoiding the complications of laparoscopic adrenalectomy.