Retroperitoneoscopic Adrenalectomy: Comparison of Retrograde and Antegrade Approach Among a Series of 279 Cases

Objective To compare the results of retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy using the antegrade and retrograde approach. Materials and Methods We performed an analysis of a single-center series of 279 retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomies from 1996 to 2010. We compared 172 cases performed with an antegrade approach and 107 with a retrograde approach without dissection of the renal hilum and initial control of the adrenal vein in comparable populations. Results The operative time was shorter in the group treated with the retrograde technique, 101 ± 51 vs 140 ± 40 minutes, respectively (Student's t test, P