Robot-assisted adrenalectomy: Step-by-step technique and surgical outcomes at a high-volume robotic center

OBJECTIVE: In the last years, robotic surgery was introduced in several different settings with good perioperative results. However, its role in the management of adrenal masses is still debated. In order to provide a contribution to this field, we described our step-by-step technique for robotic adrenalectomy (RA) and related modifications according to the type of adrenal mass treated. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 27 consecutive patients who underwent RA at Onze-Lieve-Vrouw hospital (Aalst, Belgium) between January 2009 and October 2022. Demographic, intra- and post-operative, and pathological data were retrieved from our prospectively maintained institutional database. Continuous variables are summarized as median and interquartile range (IQR). Categorical variables are reported as frequencies (percentages). RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients underwent RA were included in the study. Median age, body mass index, and Charlson's comorbidity index were 61 (IQR: 49–71) years, 26 (IQR: 24–29) kg/m(2), and 2 (IQR: 0–3), respectively, and 16 (59.3%) patients were male. Median tumor size at computed tomography scan was 6.0 (IQR: 3.5–8.0) cm. Median operative time and blood loss were 105 (IQR: 82–120) min and 175 (IQR: 94–250) mL, respectively. No intraoperative complications were recorded. Overall postoperative complications rate was 11.1%, with a postoperative transfusion rate of 3.7%. A total of 10 (37.0%) patients harbored malignant adrenal masses. Among them, 3 (11.1%) had adrenocortical carcinoma, 6 (22.2%) secondary metastasis, and 1 (3.7%) malignant pheochromocytoma on final pathological exam. Only 1 (10.0%) patient had positive surgical margins. CONCLUSION: We described our step-by-step technique for RA, which can be safely performed even in case of high challenging settings as malignant tumors, pheochromocytoma, and large masses. The standardization of perioperative protocol should be encouraged to maximize the outcomes of this complex surgical procedure.