A CASE OF CUSHING'S SYNDROME TREATED WITH LAPAROSCOPIC ADRENALECTOMY

There is only a few reports on the laparoscopic adrenalectomy in the world, especially in the urological field. This paper presents recent experience of this method for a case of Cushing's syndrome with successful result, which may be the first report in the surgical field. A 23-year-old single woman with Cushing's syndrome having a 2.7 cm right adrenal adenoma underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy on November 4, 1992. Five trocars (four 11-mm and one 5-mm trocars) were introduced into the right flank in about 60 degree of left lateral position. With lifting up to the right lobe of the liver, the adrenal mass was easily observed. After the adrenal vessels were carefully exposed and clipped, the tissue was set into the “endopouch” and pull out. Operative blood loss was only 20 grams and operative time was 2 hours and 41 minutes. Postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged from the hospital on the eighth postoperative day. This approach has more advantages that allows rapid recovery and avoid large surgical wound in comparison with the transabdominal or the lumbar approach. So we emphasize that this approach should be more taken for the adrenal surgery.