Laparoscopic adrenal surgery: ten-year experience in a single institution

Background

Minimal invasive adrenalectomy has become the procedure of choice to treat adrenal tumors with a benign appearance, ≤ 6 cm in diameter and weighing < 100 g. Authors evaluated medium- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA), performed for ten years in a single endocrine surgery unit.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 88 consecutive patients undergone LA for lesions of adrenal glands from 2003 to 2013. The first 30 operations were considered part of the learning curve. Doxazosin was preoperatively administered in case of pheochromocytoma (PCC), while spironolactone and potassium were employed to treat Conn's disease. Perioperative cardiovascular status modifications and surgical and medium- and long-term results were analyzed.

Results

Forty nine (55.68%) functioning tumors, and one (1.13%) bilateral adrenal disease were identified. In 2 patients (2.27%) a supposed adrenal metastasis was postoperatively confirmed, while in no patients a diagnosis of incidental primitive malignancy was performed. There was no mortality or major post operative complication. The mean operative time was higher during the learning curve. Conversion and morbidity rates were respectively 1.13% and 5.7%. Intraoperative hypertensive crises (≥180/90 mmHg) were observed in 23.5% (4/17) of PCC patients and were treated pharmacologically with no aftermath. There was no influence of age, size and operative time on the occurrence of PCC intraoperative hypertensive episodes. Surgery determined a normalization of the endocrine profile. One single PCC persistence was observed, while in a Conn's patient, just undergone right LA, a left sparing adrenalectomy was performed for a contralateral metachronous aldosteronoma.

Conclusions

LA, a safe, effective and well tolerated procedure for the treatment of adrenal neoplasms ≤ 6 cm, is feasible for larger lesions, with a similar low morbidity rate. Operative time has improved along with the increase of the experience and of the technological development. Preoperative adrenergic blockade did not prevent PCC intraoperative hypertensive crises, but facilitated the control of the hemodynamic stability.

     

Laparoscopic liver surgery: analyze the experience on 36 cases

We analyze the experience in laparoscopic liver surgery in the Department of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation of Fundeni Clinical Institute between september 1998 and march 2003. This study includes 36 patients, 24 females (66.7%) and 12 males (33.3%) with ages between 25 and 67 and a mean age of 46 years. From the group of 36 patients with liver pathology considered for laparoscopic treatment 6 cases had multiple hepatic lesions with no preop diagnosis. The postoperative diagnosis was neoplasia in 4 cases, noncellular necrosis with chronic inflammation in one case and focal nodular hyperplasia in another case. The fenestration and drainage were used as laparoscopic treatment in case of 7 patients with nonparasitic liver cysts. Nine patients from our group had hydatid cysts. In 7 patients the treatment consisted in partial pericystectomy after inactivation and parasite evacuation. In 2 patients an ideal pericystectomy was performed for cysts located in segments II and III. The solid lesions selected for laparoscopic treatment were in 3 cases benign symptomatic tumors with no preoperative diagnosis, in 9 cases symptomatic hemangioma and in 2 cases malignant lesions. From these 14 patients in only 2 cases the lesions were located in the right antero lateral segments. Only in the case of metastasis a left lateral sectorectomy was performed, in all other cases a nonanatomical resection being performed. Conversion to open surgery was necessary in 11.11% of cases (2 hemangioma, 2 partial pericystectomies) for bleeding control. In our study we had no mortality and 11.11% morbidity. The follow-up was available in all patients for a mean time of 18 months (10 to 36). A CT scan was made in all patients with solid lesions 6 months after surgery and an ultrasound examination in all other cases. All patients were nonsymptomatic at repeated reevaluations. We are now at the beginning of laparoscopic liver surgery and these results need to be confirmed. The benefits seem to be those of any miniinvasive surgery: reduced trauma to the abdominal wall, early mobilization, shorter hospital stay, better aesthetics.     

Laparoscopic adrenal surgery

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) was performed in 6 patients (4 right and 2 left). A transperitoneal approach in a lateral position was used. Pheochromocystoma was present in two patients and Conn's syndrome, with a solitary functioning adenoma, was the diagnosis in four. Early vascular control was obtained in the two patients with pheochromocytoma, resulting in very stable intraoperative blood pressure. Operative time for LA was 152±26 min and was associated with a short length of stay (2.0±0.6 days) and minimal intraoperative blood loss (82±30 ml). There were no conversions to laparotomy and one complication was noted. LA is a safe and effective operation for patients requiring adrenalectomy for hormone-secreting tumors.Presented at the annual meeting of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), Nashville, TN, USA, 18–19 April 1994     

Laparoscopic adrenal surgery

Summary. Minimally invasive adrenalectomy is now an accepted alternative to conventional adrenalectomy. As in open surgery, several different endoscopic approaches to the adrenal glands have been described. In principle, one must distinguish between the laparoscopic and the retroperitoneoscopic access. All adrenal tumors – pheochromocytomas included – except adrenal carcinomas can be removed endoscopically. However, the use of these techniques is limited in patients with particularly large tumors. The results reported to date are convincing. Only limited data are available as yet to compare conventional and endoscopic adrenalectomy. Because adrenal diseases requiring surgery are rare, endoscopic adrenalectomy is an operation that, for the present, will be limited to centers with a particular interest in laparoscopic and endocrine surgery.      

Videolaparoscopic surgery in the treatment of colorectal disease: our experience with 200 patients

In this article we examine our experience over the last 4 years, from 1998 to 2001, in the surgical treatment of colorectal disease using the laparoscopic approach. We treated 200 patients, 54 of whom presented benign disease and 146 malignancies. The operations were performed by a team of surgeons and nurses experienced in advanced laparoscopy. Over this period, the duration of the surgical intervention was gradually reduced by 17%. The conversion rate from laparoscopy to open procedures was also reduced (mean rate 11%). Canalization and the resumption of walking and nutrition were reasonably fast. Postoperative complications occurred in 22% of cases The number of fistulas and anastomotic dehiscences was high (10/200 = 5%), due both to evaluation errors and the choice of surgical material. At present, on applying the criteria of traditional open surgery, this figure is also coming down. Bleeding complications (12/200 = 6%) can also be ascribed to the learning curve (2 bleeds in the trocar site and 2 haematomas in the Pfannenstiel laparotomy site) and are therefore likely to be reduced. Bleeding during the surgical procedures, however, was very low, with a mean value of 69.6 ml. Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal disease is well standardized and we believe there should be no doubts as to its use in benign disease. Its use in oncological surgery, though theoretically correct, needs to be confirmed by the trials currently in progress. The results we have obtained in our experience, after completion of the learning curve, agree with the figures reported in the literature.     

Laparoscopic adrenal surgery: new frontiers

After about 10 years of experience, laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become the gold standard for the treatment of adrenal lesions. Here, we describe the presenting features, imaging methods, and current surgical approaches to diseases of the adrenal gland. There is general agreement on the suitability of the laparoscopic approach for benign adrenal lesions, but controversy exists about using laparoscopy for suspected adrenal malignancy, metastasis, and partial adrenalectomy. This article reviews the literature on laparoscopic adrenalectomy. In particular, we focus our attention on the new surgical approaches to the gland. We evaluate the indications, operative techniques, and tools for partial adrenalectomy, and we discuss new surgical strategies such as cryosurgery and radiofrequency ablation.     

Laparoscopic adrenal surgery in children

PURPOSE: The laparoscopic approach to the adrenal gland was first reported in 1992. Since then, more than 400 studies have been published, comprising hundreds of adults. There are few reports of laparoscopic adrenalectomy in the pediatric population. We reviewed our experience with laparoscopic adrenal surgery in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy was performed in 8 girls and 5 boys 15 years or younger (mean age 6.3) between December 1994 and August 2001. The clinical diagnosis before surgery was virilizing tumor in 5 cases, nonfunctioning solid adrenal tumor in 3, Cushing's syndrome in 2, pheochromocytoma in 2 and Cushing's pituitary disease in 1. Unilateral adrenal lesions were 15 to 80 mm. at the longest axis (mean 41.4) on computerized tomography. RESULTS: Two of the 13 procedures (15.4%) were converted to open surgery. No deaths occurred. No patients presented with postoperative complications. Average operative time in unilateral nonconverted procedures was 107 minutes (range 25 to 195). Blood transfusion was required in 1 case (7.7%). Average hospital stay was 5.5 days (range 1 to 17). Average postoperative followup was 16 months (range 1 to 60). The final clinicopathological diagnosis was virilization in 4 cases, Cushing's syndrome in 2, pheochromocytoma in 2, neuroblastoma in 2, Cushing's pituitary disease in 1, teratoma in 1 and primary carcinoma in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is feasible and shows positive results in select pediatric patients.     

Afghan war wounded: experience with 200 cases

The injuries seen in 200 Afghan war wounded in the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hospital in Quetta are reported. Evacuation took several days and no proper initial first aid was available. Therefore few of those reaching us had serious multiple injuries. The anatomic distribution of wounds was remarkably similar to that seen in other conflicts: 38% of the injuries were caused by bullets, 50% by fragmentation weapons, and 10% by mines. Two thirds of the patients had limb injuries. Of all wounded, patients with fractures of long bones needed the greatest number of repeated operations and the longest hospitalization time. Twenty-five patients had abdominal or perineal wounds and 12 needed laparotomy. Of 25 with head injuries 14 had penetrating brain trauma. Thoracic, vascular, and burn injuries were rare. The eight patients with spinal cord injury could fortunately be referred to the ICRC rehabilitation center in Peshawar within a week. Wound sepsis was the major problem due to the extraordinarly long delay in the initiation of treatment. In spite of the often grossly infected wounds, radical debridement usually led to good recovery for most patients, with a hospital mortality rate of only 2.5%.     

Laparoscopic robotic liver surgery: the Henri Mondor initial experience of 20 cases

Laparoscopic liver surgery is now an established practice in many institutions. It is a safe and feasible approach in the hands of trained surgeons. The introduction of robotics into surgery represents progression in the field of minimally invasive surgery but has seen a slow uptake in the hepatopancreaticobiliary subspeciality. We report our initial experience in 20 cases of laparoscopic robotic liver resection (LRLR). From March 2011 to April 2013 patients with lesions within the liver were assessed and consented for laparoscopic robotic liver surgery. This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively kept database on preoperative details and intraoperative and postoperative outcomes. During the time period there were 20 LRLRs. The median age was 62 years (range 39–80 years) with a male to female ratio of 14:6. Ten patients had left lateral sectionectomies, 10 patients had atypical segmental resections; 14 patients had resections for malignancies, 6 patients had resections for benign disease. One case was converted to open resection. The mean operating time was 176.4 ± 74.6 min (range 60–300 min), the mean blood loss was 107 ± 106 ml (range 50–700 ml) and the mean hospital stay was 6.5 ± 3.7 days (range 2–16 days). Two patients required blood transfusions. The incidence of postoperative complications was 10 % (n = 2). LRLR overcomes some of the disadvantages of conventional laparoscopic surgery. It is a technically feasible and safe approach for wedge resections and left lateral sectionectomy of the liver without oncological compromise. However, this surgical technique requires advanced laparoscopic skills and there is an associated steep learning curve. Further studies are needed to determine the potential advantages of this technique for the patient compared to the traditional laparoscopic approach.     

腹腔镜手术治疗肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤（附七例报告）

目的 探讨腹腔镜手术治疗肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤的临床价值。方法 采用腹腔镜手术治疗肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤7例,其中5例采用经腹腔途径,2例采用腹膜后途径。结果 6例成功,1例因术中损伤胰腺出血改为开放手术。随访10－48个月,患者血压正常,肿瘤局部无复发。结论 对＜6cm的肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤,只要术前准备充分,腹腔镜手术安全有效,有望替代开放手术成为首选的治疗方法。     

Retroperitoneoscopic surgery for adrenal cysts: a single-center experience of 14 cases

PURPOSE: To evaluate the operative methods and clinical role of retroperitoneoscopic operation for adrenal cysts. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical data from five male and nine female patients with a mean age of 43.5 years (range 25-68 years) who underwent retroperitoneoscopic operation for adrenal cysts from February 2000 to May 2005 were analyzed retrospectively. There were six lesions on the left side and eight on the right. The median diameter of the lesions was 8.1 cm (range 4.6-12.5 cm). RESULTS: Retroperitoneoscopy was successful in all the 14 cases and included 9 cyst decortications and 5 partial adrenalectomies. The median operative time, median blood loss, and mean postoperative hospital stay were 45.5 minutes (range 19-83 minutes), 34.5 mL (range 10-60 mL), and 4.0 +/- 0.8 days, respectively. No major postoperative complications occurred except for one case of subcutaneous emphysema and one of wound infection. The mean analgesic requirement for opioids and diclofenac sodium was 0 and 4.8 +/- 1.1 doses, respectively. With a median follow-up of 12 months (range 6-36 months), no recurrence was found. CONCLUSION: As a safe and reliable method, retroperitoneoscopic surgery can be a good treatment option for adrenal cysts.     

Laparoscopic ureterolithotomy: Our experience with 74 cases

Objectives:   We retrospectively evaluated our experience with a relatively uncommon procedure, the laparoscopic ureterolithotomy, for the treatment of ureteral stones.
Methods:   Between April 2002 and October 2006, a total of 74 patients (56 males, 18 females) with upper (54 cases), middle (18 cases) and lower (two cases) ureteral stones underwent laparoscopic ureterolithomy. The mean age was 39.4 years (range, 19–74). The stones were in the right side in 44 cases (59.5%) and in the left side in 30 (40.5%) cases. The mean stone size was 1.8 cm (range 1.5–2.8). The procedure was retroperitoneal in 66 cases (89.2%) and transperitoneal in eight (10.8%) cases. Laparoscopic guided flexible ureterorenoscopic extraction of kidney stone was carried out in one case as an adjuvant procedure. The ureter was stented and not sutured in 64 cases (86.5%).
Results:   The procedure was successfully completed in 94.6% of cases and an open conversion was carried out in four (5.4%) patients. The mean operative time was 58.7 min, and the mean blood loss was 90.6 mL. No major complications were encountered. Prolonged urinary leakage occurred in one patient. The mean hospital stay was 6.4 days. One patient developed ureteral stricture during follow up and was treated by endoscopic dilatation and stenting.
Conclusion:   In our experience laparoscopic ureterolithotomy represents a safe and effective treatment option for ureteral stones either as primary for large impacted stones or as a salvage procedure after failed shock wave lithotripsy or ureteroscopy. This procedure fulfills the advantages of minimal blood loss and analgesia requirements, good cosmetic appearance, short hospital stay and convalescence period.     

腹腔镜手术治疗肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤

目的 评价腹腔镜手术治疗肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤的安全性及临床价值.方法 对25例肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤患者采用腹腔镜经腹腔途径手术治疗.结果 25例全部成功,无1例中转开放手术,无严重并发症发生.肿瘤最大径1.5～10.8 em,平均4.8 cm;手术时间45～130 min,平均70 min;术中出血量30～180 ml,平均65 ml,均未输血;术后住院4～7天,平均6.1天;术后病理检查证实均为肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤.全部病例获得随访6～72个月,患者血压正常,B超或CT复查均未见肿瘤复发.结论 腹腔镜手术治疗肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤具有手术时间短,出血少、损伤小、恢复快、安全性高、并发症少等优点,可替代开放手术.     

Laparoscopic pyeloureterostomy: experience in three cases

PURPOSE: To report our experience with transperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloureterostomy for duplication of the collecting system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Since January 2003, two adult patients with incomplete duplication of ureter with ureteropelvic junction obstruction of the lower moiety and a 4-month-old male baby with complete duplication of the ureter with reflux in the lower moiety underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloureterostomy. The baby also had excision of the lower-moiety ureter. RESULTS: There was no significant intraoperative or postoperative morbidity. Follow-up imaging revealed good drainage. CONCLUSION: With increasing experience in laparoscopic reconstructive urologic procedures, laparoscopic pyeloureterostomy is a feasible option, even in infants.     

腹腔镜在肾上腺肿瘤切除术中的应用（附8例报告）

2000年10月-2001年6月在电视腹腔镜下施行肾上腺肿瘤切除术8例，除1例因术中出血，止血困难转为开放手术外，其余均顺利完成手术，无手术后并发症。对腹腔镜下肾上腺肿瘤手术适应证、手术技巧、及并发症进行了讨论。     

腹腔镜前列腺癌根治术治疗早期前列腺癌的临床经验(附10例报告)

目的：总结腹腔镜前列腺癌根治术治疗早期前列腺癌的手术经验。方法：采用前列腺特异抗原检测和前列腺穿刺筛选10例PT1b～PT3a前列腺癌患者，用腹腔镜行前列腺癌根治术，总结手术时间、出血量和并发症的发生情况，并进行术后随访。结果：10例腹腔镜前列腺癌根治术均获成功。手术时间210～310min，平均250min；出血量200～500ml，平均340ml。术中发生大出血2例，术后尿外渗1例，未出现尿失禁和排尿困难。结论：腹腔镜前列腺癌根治术涉及较多腹腔镜下分离、切割、止血和缝合技术，只有熟悉前列腺的局部解剖、使用良好的腹腔镜器械、熟练掌握各种腹腔镜操作技术，才能缩短手术时间，减少手术并发症的发生。     

Eight-year experience with transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenal surgery

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is currently the technique of choice for removing benign adrenal lesions. Various laparoscopic techniques and approaches have been reported using the transperitoneal or retroperitoneal approach. We present our 8-year experience with and long-term results of transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 1992 and October 2000, 161 laparoscopic approaches to the adrenal gland were performed, including 145 unilateral and 10 bilateral adrenalectomies, and 6 conservative operations. Patients were placed in the 60-degree flank position with the bed flexed to increase the surgical field. To avoid hypertensive crisis, especially in patients with pheochromocytoma, the first step involved early ligation of the adrenal vein. RESULTS: The laparoscopic procedure was successfully completed in all except 4 cases, which were converted to open surgery. Mean operative time was 160 minutes in the unilateral, 245 in the bilateral and 90 in the conservative group. Delayed complications included hemoperitoneum in 3 patients, which was drained surgically, severe blood loss in 3 treated with blood transfusion and wound infection in 2. Patients were ambulatory on the morning of postoperative day 1 and were discharged home 2.8, 5 and 1.8 days after unilateral, bilateral and conservative surgery, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic transperitoneal adrenalectomy is a safe, effective, minimally invasive approach in patients with benign functioning or nonfunctioning adrenal masses. This technique involves low morbidity, minimal postoperative analgesic requirements and a short hospital stay.