Multicentric experience of the Belgian Group for Endoscopic Surgery (BGES) with endoscopic adrenalectomy

Background: Adrenalectomy is not a frequent operation. Therefore the newly developed laparoscopic approach is sporadically performed by surgeons dealing with endocrine disorders. Methods: Some 54 videoendoscopic adrenalectomies performed on 52 patients by five surgical teams between October 1993 and December 1996 were prospectively evaluated. Results: Indications for endoscopic adrenalectomy were pheochromocytoma (n= 17), primary hyperaldosteronism (n= 15), Cushing's adenoma or disease (n= 7), nonsecreting adenoma (n= 7), single metastasis from adenocarcinoma (n= 2), adenoma with dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEAS) hypersecretion (n= 3), and ACTH-secreting metastases from a thymoma (n= 1). Of the 54 adrenalectomies performed, 31 were of the left gland, 19 of the right and two bilateral. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy was successful in 50 patients (96%). Median tumor size was 4 cm (range 1.5–12), median operation duration was 80 min (range 59–360), and median postoperative stay was 4 days (range 2–13). One patient required blood transfusion. Conclusions: Endoscopic adrenalectomy can safely be performed—even sporadically—by surgeons well versed in adrenalectomy techniques for endocrine disorders and trained in endoscopic surgery. Received: 25 March 1997/Accepted: 16 May 1997