Laparoscopic Transabdominal Adrenalectomy for Pheochromocytoma Comparison with Conventional Open Adrenalectomy

The aim of this study, was to evaluate the results of Laparoscopic Transabdominal Adrenalectomy (LTA) with that Conventionally Open Adrenalectomy (COA) in the treatment of adrenal pheochromocytoma. The medical, operative and pathological records of 20 patients with pheochromocytoma were reviewed at Sina hospital, Tabriz medical university in north west of Iran from march of 2000 to December of 2006. Among the patients (11 male, 9 female) who underwent surgical removal, 10 patients underwent complete trans abdominal laparoscopic adrenalectomy and 10 patients operated unilateral transabdominal open adrenalectomy. Mean age of LTA and COA were 36.0±13.7 and 42.3±15.2, respectively. Mean size of tumor in LA was 3.8±0.77 cm and in COA was 5.8±3.1 cm. In all cases there was a solid unilateral adrenal tumor, L/R localization of tumor in LTA was 5/5 and in COA was 4/6. No conversion occurred in LTA group. The two groups were comparable about age, sex, BMI. The size of the tumors in Laparoscopic groups was smaller than conventionally open group. The operative time in Laparoscopic group was longer than the open group (172.5±19.18 vs 126.5±27.8, p< 0.05). Intraoperative cardiovascular instability was found in both groups of patients. Five patients (50%) in COA and four patients (40%) in LTA. The mean post operative length of hospital stay in LTA was seen 3.9±1.2 (2-5) days significantly lesser than the COA which was 5.7±1.7 (4-9) days (p< 0.001). Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a safe, effective, useful and feasible procedure in most selected patients with pheochromocytoma providing the benefits of excellent results.