Robot‐assisted laparoscopic adrenalectomy: preliminary UK results

Abstract

Authors from London describe the early results from the UK in the use of robot‐assisted laparoscopic adrenalectomy. In a small group of patients they found that patients could be treated early, with early discharge from hospital. The use of retrograde balloon dilatation of PUJ obstruction is revisited by authors from Plymouth, who review their 10 years of experience with this technique. They found that the procedure gave good symptomatic relief in 76% of their patients, but found no relationship between symptom relief and renographic improvement. In a few patients with a long‐term follow‐up there was symptomatic improvement and good maintenance of split renal function. OBJECTIVE To describe the results of our first two cases of laparoscopic adrenalectomy using the da Vinci TM surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA). PATIENTS AND METHODS Amongst 75 robot‐assisted procedures performed at our institution, two patients underwent robot‐assisted laparoscopic adrenalectomy. The set‐up time, procedure time, hospital stay, complications and outcomes were recorded. RESULTS Both operations were completed successfully using the robot; the mean (range) set‐up time was 31 (25–37) min and mean procedure time 118.5 (107–130) min. One patient had a postoperative pulmonary embolus and was discharged 5 days after surgery; the second patient was discharged after 3 days. There were no intraoperative complications; both patients were well at the 1‐year follow‐up CONCLUSIONS Robot‐assisted laparoscopic adrenalectomy is technically feasible and can be conducted efficiently and safely with the da Vinci surgical system.