OBJECTIVETo evaluate the roles of laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) and open adrenalectomy (GA) for treatment of adrenal gland diseases.

METHODSThe data of 486 patients with adrenal gland diseases was analyzed retrospectively during 5 years. A total of 478 patients received surgical treatments including 318 GAs and 160 LAs. The operation time, bleeding volume during operation, intestine function recovery time, pain postoperatively, hospital stay time postoperatively and postoperative complications in group GA and group LA respectively were compared.

RESULTSAll cases in group GA were successful. A total of 154 cases in group LA were successful, and 6 cases were converted to open surgery. In group LA, there were 9 cases whose tumor diameter exceeded 6 cm. There were 3 malignant cases in group LA, and no recurrence and metastasis were observed during 3-20 months follow-up. The average operation time was (112 +/- 16) mmn and (69 +/- 10) min in group GA and LA respectively. The average bleeding volume during operation was (286 +/- 23) ml, (56 +/- 10) ml in group GA and LA respectively. The average intestine function recovery time was (66 +/- 7) h, (24 +/- 7) h in group GA and LA respectively. The average frequency of treatment of pain was 1.9 +/- 0.4 and 0.5 +/- 0.1 in group GA and LA respectively. The average hospital stay time postoperatively was (10.3 +/- 1.1) d and (7.2 +/- 0.7) d in group GA and LA respectively. The rate of postoperative complications was 40.3% and 7.5% in group GA and LA respectively. All differences were significant (P = 0.023, 0.007, 0.039, 0.003, 0.029 and 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSLA has the added benefit of shorter convalescent times, improving patients satisfaction and less associated complications, as it has proved to be as effective as OA.