Successful Laparoscopic Right Adrenalectomy in a Morbidly Obese Patient with a Large Liver

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a safe procedure that was performed in 1992 for the first time. Morbid obesity is an independent risk factor for complications of adrenalectomy in postoperative period and conversion of laparoscopy to open procedure. Recent data show that laparoscopic adrenalectomy can reduce the recovery time, wound complications and hospital stay in morbidly obese and diabetic patients.

A 37-year-old morbidly obese diabetic female that was a candidate for bariatric surgery with chief complaint of right flank pain and large complex adrenal mass in preoperative ultrasonography confirmed by CT-scan and MRI was the case of this study. The patient underwent laparoscopic lateral transabdominal adrenalectomy and was discharged two days after operation without any complications. The pathologic study report was myelolipoma.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy may be considered as a safe procedure in morbidly obese patients and can reduce the perioperative complications and recovery period in comparison with the open approach.