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Brachytherapy for prostate cancer treatment may induce secondary bladder cancer during long-term follow-ups. This study reviews the risk and tumor characteristics of secondary bladder cancer after brachytherapy.This single-institution retrospective study included 1162 patients treated with low-dose-rate permanent seed implantation brachytherapy with iodine-125, with or without external beam radiation therapy, for localized prostate cancer. We calculated and compared the rates of secondary bladder cancer among patients treated with brachytherapy and radical prostatectomy (n = 218) before and after a propensity score-matching analysis. Possible risk factors for secondary bladder cancer, such as patient age and external beam radiation therapy administration, were analyzed.Of 1162 patients with a median follow-up period of 11.4 (range: 0.7-15.5) years, 26 presented with urothelial carcinomas and 1 with adenocarcinoma at a median of 8.9 (range: 2.9-14.0) years after brachytherapy, although the incidence rates of secondary bladder cancer after brachytherapy were not significantly different from those after radical prostatectomy. No significant risk factors for secondary bladder cancer were identified. The initial symptoms of secondary bladder cancer were gross hematuria (74%) and microscopic hematuria with positive urine cytology (15%). Among 26 cases of secondary urothelial carcinoma, 54% were high-grade and 46% were invasive. After brachytherapy, invasive urothelial carcinoma occurred later than noninvasive urothelial carcinoma (p = 0.01).Considering the aggressive malignancy of secondary bladder cancer, cystoscopy and urine cytology should be performed for further investigation of the causes of gross or microscopic hematuria and rule out secondary bladder cancer in cases followed longer than 3 years after brachytherapy.

To evaluate the oncological feasibility of pure laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (p-LRNU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) compared with conventional LRNU (c-LRNU) using a propensity-adjusted multi-institutional collaboration dataset. Among the 503 UTUC patients who underwent RNU, we identified 219 who underwent c-LRNU (laparoscopic nephrectomy with open bladder cuff resection) and 72 who underwent p-LRNU (dissecting the kidney, ureter, and bladder cuff under complete laparoscopy). We adopted a propensity score (PS) matching method to achieve homogeneity with respect to patient backgrounds. PS matching-adjusted Cox-regression analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors that influenced oncological outcomes. Sixty-eight p-LRNU and 68 c-LRNU patients were matched. Overall, 51 (37.0%) developed intravesical recurrence (IVR), 21 (15.4%) had disease recurrence, and 20 (14.7%) died. Patients who underwent p-LRNU had a significantly shorter operation time and less blood loss than those who underwent c-LRNU. Although no significant differences in 3-year recurrence-free survival were found between the two methods, atypical recurrence sites were observed in the p-LRNU group, including the brain, sigmoid colon, vagina, and peritoneum. Regarding IVR, the 3-year IVR-free survival rate was 41.8% in the p-LRNU group, which was significantly lower than that in the c-LRNU group (66.6%, p = 0.004). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that a history of bladder cancer, ureteral cancer, and p-LRNU were independent risk factors for subsequent IVR. Although p-LRNU is less invasive, the current technique may increase the incidence of atypical disease recurrence and subsequent IVR due to extravesical and intravesical tumor dissemination.

CONTEXT The oversecretion of plasma aldosterone by unilateral aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) can be cured by adrenalectomy. However, the time needed for the endocrine environment to normalize remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To clarify adequate timing for a biochemical evaluation in unilateral APA patients after adrenalectomy. DESIGN AND PATIENTS A total of 166 unilateral APA patients were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated the plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) (pg/mL), active renin concentration (ARC) (pg/mL), aldosterone-renin ratio (ARR; PAC/ARC), serum potassium concentration and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 1, 3 and 6 postoperation months (POM). RESULTS PAC was significantly lower at 1POM than at presurgery (presurgery; 407.2, 1 POM; 90.0 pg/mL, P

Recently, laparoendoscopic single-site adrenalectomy (LESS-A) has been developed as an alternative treatment for adrenal tumors. Although LESS-A is more technically complex than conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy, its learning curve and the factors associated with poor surgical outcomes are poorly understood. We analyzed the learning curve of LESS-A and attempted to identify risk factors associated with worse surgical outcomes. We identified 103 patients who underwent LESS-A [performed by the same surgeon (A.M.)] from 2009 to 2015. The learning curve was analyzed using the moving average method (the 10-case moving average), and we assessed potential risk factors for a prolonged pneumoperitoneum time. The learning curve stabilized at 30 cases. The cases were divided into two groups, the learning stage (LS) (cases 1–29) and master stage (MS) (cases 30–103) groups. The percentage of females and the frequency of previous abdominal surgery were higher in the LS group (p = 0.022 and 0.001, respectively). In the LS group, the mean pneumoperitoneum time was 92 ± 35 min, which was significantly longer than the equivalent value for the MS group (55 ± 18 min, p

We investigated the relationship between pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (pre-NLR) levels just before the initiation of treatment with pembrolizumab and clinical outcomes in platinum-resistant metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients treated with pembrolizumab.Our study population comprised 78 patients diagnosed with metastatic UC and treated with pembrolizumab after platinum-based chemotherapy at our institutions between December 2017 and April 2019. We examined the relationships between pre-NLR levels just before pembrolizumab treatment and clinical outcomes. A pre-NLR level of ≥3.35 was defined as elevated according to a calculation by a receiver-operating curve analysis.The high pre-NLR group consisted of 33 patients (42.3%). Overall, 29.5% of patients had a clinical response and the sum of the target lesion longest diameter was decreased in 18.8% of the high pre-NLR group, which was significantly lower than that in the low pre-NLR group (58.1%, P = 0.005). Six-month progression-free survival and cancer-specific survival rates for the high pre-NLR group were 9.1 and 58.0%, which were significantly lower than those for their counterpart (45.9 and 89.1%, P0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). The pre-NLR level was an independent indicator of disease progression and cancer-specific death (P0.001 and P = 0.003). Furthermore, patients with a postpembrolizumab NLR level that had decreased ≥25% from the pre-NLR level had significantly lower disease progression and cancer-specific death rates than their counterparts (P = 0.01 and P = 0.022, respectively).Elevated pre-NLR may be a novel biomarker for identifying poor responders to pembrolizumab among platinum-resistant metastatic UC patients.

BACKGROUND The effects of the administration of dutasteride (DUT) on steroid metabolite pathways in BPH patients have not been examined. METHODS Urine and blood samples as well as clinical parameters were prospectively collected after the administration of DUT to 60 BPH patients, and after its withdrawal in another set of 25 BPH patients. Urine samples were assessed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for the urinary steroid profile (USP), which simultaneously measures 63 steroid metabolites. We examined pharmacological changes in the 5α/5β ratio of urinary metabolites and their relationships with clinical parameters in patients treated with DUT. RESULTS The mean urinary androsterone/etiocholanolone (An/Et) ratio in sex-steroid pathways significantly decreased from 1.39 to 0.02 (p

Monitoring the serum level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) is indispensable for surveillance after radical therapy, and the aim of this study was to establish the optimal follow-up schedule.We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological data of 1,010 consecutive patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. After excluding patients who received neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy and those without a nadir PSA level0.2ng/ml, the remaining 779 patients were enrolled. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) was defined as elevation of PSA to0.2ng/ml. We investigated the PSA doubling time (PSA-DT) following BCR at various times after surgery.During a mean follow-up of 8.8 years, BCR occurred in 180/779 patients. The annual BCR rate was 6% in the first year after surgery, 6% between 1 and 2 years, 3% between 2 and 3 years, 3% between 3 and 5 years, and 2% at5 years postoperatively. During these periods, the minimum PSA-DT after BCR was 1.6, 2.4, 3.1, 6.1, and 6.4 months, respectively. These minimum PSA-DTs were used to determine the optimal follow-up interval during each period after surgery. If the baseline level is 0.1ng/ml, PSA should be measured at approximately 3-month intervals for the first year, at 4-month intervals between 1 and 2 years, at 6-month intervals between 2 and 3 years, and annually thereafter to definitely detect BCR before the serum PSA level exceeds 0.4ng/ml.The PSA-DT following BCR varies according to the time after surgery. Our data on minimum PSA-DT values after BCR are useful for setting the optimal follow-up schedule.

Objective It is considered that laparoscopic single-site surgery should be performed by specially trained surgeons because of the technical difficulty in using special instruments through limited access. We investigated suitable patients for single-port laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, focusing on the anatomy and distribution of the renal artery and vein. Methods This retrospective study was conducted in 52 consecutive patients who underwent single-port radical nephrectomy by the transperitoneal approach. In patients undergoing right nephrectomy, a 2-mm port was added for liver retraction. We retrospectively re-evaluated all of the recorded surgical videos and preoperative computed tomography images. The pneumoperitoneum time (PT) was used as an objective index of surgical difficulty. Results The PT was significantly shorter for right nephrectomy than left nephrectomy (94 vs. 123 min, P = 0.004). With left nephrectomy, dissection of the spleno-renal ligament to mobilize the spleen medially required additional time. Also, the left renal vein could only be divided after securing the adrenal, gonadal and lumbar veins. In patients whose renal artery was located cranial to the renal vein, PT tended to be longer than in the other patients (131 vs. 108 min, P = 0.070). In patients with a superior renal artery, the inferior renal vein invariably covered the artery and made it difficult to ligate the renal artery via the umbilical approach at the first procedure. Conclusions These findings indicate that patients undergoing right nephrectomy in whom the renal artery is not located cranial to the renal vein are suitable for single-port laparoscopic radical nephrectomy.

Paraganglioma (PGL) is a rare type of tumor that arises from the extra-adrenal paraganglia. A PGL tumor hypersecretes catecholamines and causes symptoms identical to those in patients with hyper-functioning adrenal pheochromocytoma (PCC). In this study, we compared the surgical outcome of laparoscopic surgery, including laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) surgery, in patients with PCC and patients with retroperitoneal solitary PGL.The records of 49 patients with PCC and 9 patients with unilateral retroperitoneal PGL at our institution from January 2001 to March 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Multiple tumors, tumors suspected of being malignant preoperatively, and tumors operated on using a retroperitoneal approach were excluded from the study.Each group was equivalent with respect to patient background, hemodynamic variables, and preoperative biochemical assessments, including plasma catecholamine levels and catecholamine levels in 24-hour urine samples. The mean operative time was significantly longer in the PGL group (149.4 ± 56.5 minutes v 189.8 ± 44.9 minutes, P=0.019). In univariate and multivariate analyses, tumor size ≥ 50 mm and PGL were statistically significant factors that predicted prolonged operative time. Intraoperative hypotension occurred in 15 patients in the PCC group and in 8 patients in the PGL group, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.002). One postoperative complication in the PCC group and two postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade II or higher) in the PGL group were observed, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.012). Twenty-two patients in this series underwent LESS surgery (PCC: n=19; PGL: n=3), and there was no statistically significant difference in the perioperative outcomes between the two groups.The present results demonstrate that the operation for solitary extraperitoneal PGL required a longer operative time and had more hypotensive episodes and higher postoperative morbidity than the PCC group. Though the perioperative outcome of LESS surgery for PGL is comparable to that of PCC, we should treat the patients with PGL accordingly.

Conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) is the gold standard procedure for benign adrenal tumors. Laparoendoscopic single-site adrenalectomy (LESS-A) has been developed as an extension of standard laparoscopic minimally invasive procedures. This retrospective study compared the first experience of one surgeon with 70 LESS-A to 140 LA cases with respect to evaluating the influence of the inexperience on surgical outcomes and to assess this surgeon’s learning curve for LESS-A. Age, gender, BMI, percentage of patients with prior abdominal surgery, tumor laterality, and tumor size were all comparable between the two groups. There were no statistically significant differences in any surgical outcomes, including mean operative time, pneumoperitoneum time, estimated blood loss, transfusion requirements, hemoglobin decrease at postoperative day 1, analgesic requirements, postoperative day of oral intake, conversion rate, or morbidity between the two groups. The one exception was hospital stay. There were no mortalities or reoperations in either group. The morbidity rates in the LESS-A group and LA group were 4.2 and 6.4 %, respectively (p = 0.528). LESS-A appears to have a steep learning curve and the operative time of the initial 70 cases decreased markedly and remained stable when the experience level exceeded 12 cases. There was no morbidity or conversion in these first 12 LESS-A cases. Multiple regression analysis revealed that surgeon experience (p = 0.008) and tumor size (p = 0.001) were independent predictors of prolonged operative time. Surgical outcomes of LESS-A were equivalent to those of LA without compromising safety. The introduction of LESS-A at our hospital was smooth and safe. While the indication for LESS-A has been controversial, LESS-A was a useful procedure, especially for cases in which cosmesis is of paramount importance.

Thymidylate synthase (TS), a target enzyme of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is significantly associated with prognosis in various cancers. Recently, it has been reported that S-1, a novel 5-FU-based agent has an effect on bladder cancer. However, in cells with high TS level, S-1 did not have significant effects. Therefore, we examined whether down-regulation of TS enhanced effects of S-1 in them. First, we measured TS level in an aggressive bladder cancer cell line, KU-19-19 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and evaluated its sensitivity to 5-FU using a small interfering RNA (siRNA) for TS. Next, we measured TS mRNA after exposure to various agents. Finally, we evaluated enhancement of cytotoxicity of S-1 by CPT-11 (7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino]carbonyloxycamptothecin) which down-regulated TS in in vivo study. The median TS and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) level was 53.3 ng/mg and 80.3 ng/mg in KU-19-19 cells, respectively. The 5-FU treatment in KU-19-19 cells transfected with siRNA for TS gene (TYMS) inhibited cell growth more significantly than that for nontargeting control. Down-regulation of TS was observed after exposure to SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin) in a dose-dependent manner. The combination treatment of 5-FU and SN-38 significantly inhibited cell growth, as compared to the single treatment. Meanwhile, in cells transfected with siRNA for TYMS, neither an additive nor a synergistic effect was observed. Also, combined S-1 and CPT-11 dramatically inhibited tumor growth, compared to S-1 or CPT-11 alone in in vivo study. In conclusion, CPT-11 down-regulated TS level and enhanced the effect of S-1. Thus, the combination therapy with S-1 and CPT-11 might be a novel modality for bladder cancer, even with high TS level. This study confirmed that thymidylate synthase (TS) level in an aggressive human bladder cancer cell line, KU-19-19, was relatively higher than that in other cancer and presented that irinotecan (CPT-11) could down-regulate TS. Finally, the combination therapy with S-1 and CPT-11 resulted in significant tumor growth inhibition through down-regulation of TS in KU-19-19. Thus, combined S-1 and CPT-11 might be a novel treatment in bladder cancer, even with high TS.

To determine predictive factors for perioperative complications of laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) including single-site surgery performed or supervised by experienced laparoscopic surgeons.We retrospectively reviewed 265 consecutive unilateral LAs performed at a single institution from 2001 to 2011. All surgical procedures were performed or supervised by one of two experienced laparoscopic surgeons. The transabdominal approach was used in 248 patients, while a retroperitoneal approach was used in 17 patients. Laparoendoscopic single-site adrenalectomy was performed in 58 patients. Predictive factors for postoperative complications were analyzed.There were no postoperative deaths. At least one postoperative complication occurred in 12 (4.6%) patients. No patient underwent reoperation for a complication. Only one (0.4%) patient's procedure was converted to open surgery, and only this patient needed a blood transfusion during the operation. One patient who underwent laparoendoscopic single-site adrenalectomy had the procedure converted to conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that an American Society of Anesthesiologists-physical status grade 3 or above was the only predictive factor for perioperative complications.American Society of Anesthesiologists-physical status grade 3 or above was a statistically significant factor for perioperative complications associated with laparoscopic adrenalectomy that involved laparoendoscopic single-site adrenalectomy, which was performed or supervised by an experienced laparoscopic surgeon. According to the findings of this retrospective study, single-site operation, obesity, adrenal tumor size, and tumor type may not be considered as risk factors for perioperative complications after LA performed or supervised by an experienced laparoscopic surgeon.

Background The optimal timing of catheter removal following laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) has not yet been determined. This prospective study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of catheter removal on postoperative day (POD) 2 versus POD 4 after LRP and its impact on urinary continence outcomes. Methods One hundred and thirteen patients underwent LRP and were prospectively randomized into two groups: group 1 (n = 57) had the urinary catheter removed on POD 2 while group 2 (n = 56) had the catheter removed on POD 4. The urine loss ratio (ULR) was defined as the weight of urine loss in the pad divided by the daily micturition volume. Continence was defined as a pad-free status. Results No significant differences were observed in clinical features between groups 1 and 2. Acute urinary retention (AUR) after catheter removal occurred in 21 patients (18.6 %) (13 (22.8 %) in group 1 and 8 (14.3 %) in group 2 (p = 0.244). The first-day mean ULR values were 1.16 ± 4.95 in group 1 and 1.02 ± 3.27 in group 2 (p = 0.870). The last-day mean ULR values were 0.57 ± 1.60 in group 1 and 2.78 ± 15.49 in group 2 (p = 0.353). Continence rates at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months were 21.8, 41.1, 58.0, and 71.4 % in group 1 and 34.5, 66.0, 79.2, and 83.7 % in group 2 (p = 0.138, 0.009, 0.024, and 0.146, respectively). In AUR cases, continence rates at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months were 0, 23.1, 38.5, and 54.5 % in group 1 and 37.5, 75.0, 87.5, and 87.5 % in group 2 (p = 0.017, 0.020, 0.027, and 0.127, respectively). A multivariate analysis identified AUR after catheter removal on POD 2 as the only predictive factor for incontinence 6 and 9 months after LRP (p = 0.030 and 0.018, respectively). Conclusions Our results demonstrated that early catheter removal on POD 2 after LRP may increase the risk of incontinence. Trial registration The study was registered as Clinical trial: (UMIN000014944); registration date: 12 March 2012.

Axl, which is in the TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases, and its ligand, growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6), have been associated with worse prognoses after the surgical treatment of some types of cancers. We herein investigated the biological significance of the protein expression of Axl and Gas6 on the outcomes of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). The protein expression of Axl and Gas6 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and their relationships with clinicopathological features were investigated in surgical specimens obtained from 161 patients who had been surgically treated for UTUC. Axl labeling was strong in 67 of 161 (42 %) cases, while Gas6 labeling was strong in 72 of 161 (45 %) cases. The strong expression of Axl correlated with that of Gas6. A high pathological stage (p = 0.009), strong expression of Gas6 (p = 0.038), and strong expression of Axl (p = 0.016) were independent factors for predicting worse cancer-specific survival (CSS). In a subgroup analysis of patients with pT

NVP-BEZ235 is an inhibitor of both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1/2 (mTORC1/2), and its antitumor activity is expected to be higher than that of mTORC1 inhibitors because it inhibits the upregulation of pAkt through mTORC2. We examined the efficacy of intravesical NVP-BEZ235 therapy in the treatment of bladder cancer using an orthotopic bladder cancer model. The cytotoxic effects of various concentrations of NVP-BEZ235 in MBT-2 cells were examined using a WST assay. The expression of pAkt, pS6 and p4EBP1 was evaluated in MBT-2 cells treated with NVP-BEZ235 using western blotting. Orthotopic models were established by implanting MBT-2 cells into the bladders of female C3H/He mice. We assigned C3H/He mice to 2 groups: a control group treated with vehicle control (n=15), and a group intravesically administered 40 µM (18.78 mg/l) of NVP-BEZ235 (n=15). NVP-BEZ235 inhibited the viability of MBT-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the expression of pAkt, pS6, and p4EBP1 was inhibited in NVP-BEZ235-treated MBT-2 cells. Bladder weights were significantly lower in the NVP-BEZ235-treated group than in the control group (P

IgG4-related disease (IgG4RD) is a novel clinical entity characterized by tissue infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells. We report here 3 cases of IgG4RD associated with urinary tract obstruction. Patient 1 was a 59-year-old male who complained of difficulty on urination. A CT scan showed bilateral ureteral wall thickness, hydronephrosis, and an enlarged prostate. His serum IgG4 was 817 mg/dl. We made a diagnosis of IgG4RD and performed bilateral ureteral stenting and steroid therapy. A significant reduction in the size of the lesion was detected, and IgG4 was decreased to 272 mg/dl. He was doing well after removal of the ureteral stent. Patient 2 was a 51-year-old female who complained of bilateral swelling of the submaxillary gland. A CT scan showed left ureteral wall thickness and hydronephrosis. Her serum IgG4 was 1,020 mg/dl. We made a diagnosis of IgG4RD and performed left ureteral stenting and steroid therapy. A significant reduction in the size of the lesion was detected, and IgG4 was decreased to 337 mg/dl. She was doing well after removal of the ureteral stent. Patient 3 was a 64-year-old male who underwent evaluation for autoimmune pancreatitis. He complained of back pain and bilateral hydronephrosis was detected. His serum IgG4 level was 649 mg/dl. Bilateral ureteral stenting was performed based on a diagnosis of IgG4RD. He did not receive steroid therapy because of poorly-controlled diabetes mellitus. After insertion of the ureteral stent, hydronephrosis and back pain were relieved. We could only find a few case reports in the literature on IgG4RD associated with urinary tract obstruction. It is important for clinicians to bear in mind that IgG4RD sometimes causes urinary tract obstruction.

To evaluate the suitability of preoperative multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) positivity as a predictor of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP).We reviewed the clinical records of patients who underwent either standard RP or laparoscopic RP between January 2005 and December 2009 at our institution. Patients who received radiotherapy or androgen deprivation therapy before surgery were excluded. A total of 314 patients met the study inclusion criteria. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used for analyses. In accordance with the criteria in the established guidelines, a radiologist scored the probability of the presence of prostate cancer using a five-point scale of diagnostic confidence level. The highest confidence level of any pulse sequence was considered as the evaluation result.MRI positivity was significantly associated with a high clinical stage (cT ≥ 2; P = 0.039), a high positive biopsy core rate (≥0.2; P0.001), a high biopsy Gleason score ([GS] ≥8; P0.001) and a high pathological GS (≥8; P = 0.005). Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis showed that MRI positivity was a prognostic indicator in the analysis that included only preoperative variables and also in the analysis including preoperative and pathological variables.Multiparametric MRI positivity can independently predict biochemical recurrence after RP.

To report our initial experience with transumbilical laparo-endoscopic single-site adrenalectomy for adrenal tumors by using a single port with a multichannel cannula and bent laparoscopic instrumentation.Between December 2009 and December 2010, 30 patients underwent transumbilical laparo-endoscopic single-site adrenalectomy at our hospital. The procedure was carried out for adrenal cortical adenoma in 17 patients, adrenal pheochromocytoma in seven patients and other types of tumors in six patients. A multichannel port, bent laparoscopic instruments and Opti4 laparoscopic electrodes were used in all patients. The intraperitoneal space was approached through the umbilicus. The multichannel port was placed through a 2-cm incision at the inner edge of the umbilicus. A 5-mm flexible laparoscope was introduced to maintain an adequate laparoscopic view, and surgical specimens were extracted using an Endocatch bag.All procedures were successfully completed, with only one incision through the umbilicus, and without conversion to a standard laparoscopic approach. Mean operative time was 120.1 ± 34.7 min. Tumor laterality and patient body mass index did not affect surgical morbidity. The initial 15 patients had a significantly longer mean pneumoperitoneum time (95.8 ± 37.5 min) than the last 15 patients (70.5 ± 18.7 min). Only one postoperative complication was observed (postoperative hematoma).A transumbilical approach for laparo-endoscopic single-site adrenalectomy is safe and feasible, and it results in superior cosmesis. Improvements in surgical devices might facilitate further development of this approach.