Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for metachronous ipsilateral metastasis following nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION: Although laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) is considered as a gold standard approach for adrenalectomy, there are minimal data describing options and outcomes of LA after previous ipsilateral nephrectomy (PIN). AIM: To describe our results in a group of patients who underwent LA after PIN. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From August 2004 to October 2012 we performed at our institution 88 LA. Of this amount we performed 5 LA for metachronous metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after PIN. This group was compared to a group without previous nephrectomy. RESULTS: The group comprised 4 men (80%) and 1 woman (20%); the mean age at the time of surgery was 66.8 ±8.5 (range: 60-77) years; the mean period between nephrectomy and adrenalectomy was 5.2 (range: 1.5-14) years; the operating time was longer in patients after PIN for 7 min; the mean blood loss was higher by 22 ml; duration of hospitalization was shorter by 1.3 days, paradoxically, compared with patients without PIN. There was no need for conversion to open surgery and we did not observe any other complications. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for metastasis of RCC after PIN is a technically feasible method in selected patients and it is associated with no significant differences in perioperative data in comparison with the group without prior nephrectomy. The patients benefit from minimally invasive surgery. The performance has required an experienced laparoscopic surgeon.