Background: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is accepted by many as the standard of care for the majority of adrenal masses less than 8 cm. The question exists whether laparoscopic removal of metastatic lesions to the adrenal is more difficult than laparoscopic removal of primary adrenal lesions.
Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all laparoscopic adrenalectomies performed at a single institution from 1998 to 2001, comparing laparoscopic adrenalectomies for primary lesions of the adrenal gland versus isolated metastatic lesions to the adrenal gland.
Results: Fourteen laparoscopic adrenalectomies were attempted, 10 for primary disease and 4 for metastatic disease. All 10 laparoscopic procedures were completed successfully for primary disease (average operative time=218 minutes, average tumor size=4 cm, median hospital stay=2 days). Only one of the 4 laparoscopic adrenalectomies for metastatic disease was completed successfully (average operative time=332 minutes, average tumor size=7.3 cm, median hospital stay=2 days). No major complications occurred in either group.
Conclusions: We feel laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the preferred approach for primary adrenal masses less than 8 cm. Based on our experience and a review of the literature, isolated metastatic lesions to the adrenal gland appear less amenable to laparoscopic removal than do primary lesions of the same size.