Laparoscopic Resection of Retroperitoneal Paragangliomas: A Comparison with Conventional Open Surgical Procedures.

Abstract Objective: Paraganglioma (PGL) is a rare type of tumor that arises from the extra-adrenal paraganglia. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is well established for the treatment of adrenal pheochromocytomas, but laparoscopic resection of PGLs is controversial. In this study, we compared the clinical outcomes of laparoscopic and conventional open surgical procedures for PGLs. We also analyze the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic technique for renal hilar PGLs. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent resection of retroperitoneal PGLs from 2002 to 2014 in our hospital was performed. Twelve patients underwent open procedures, and 15 underwent laparoscopic procedures. The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed. Results: PGLs located at the renal hilum were predominantly both in the Lap group (n = 9) and open group (n = 7). Laparoscopic procedures in 14 of 15 patients were effectively completed without conversion to open surgery; one case with ...