Adrenalectomy

Abstract

Robot-assisted laparoscopic adrenalectomy (RALA) is indicated in the treatment of benign and malign diseases of adrenal gland. Although this procedure has proved to be feasible and safe in most of cases, postoperative complications may occur. Complication rate associated with RALA is low, and when compared to pure laparoscopic adrenalectomy, potential benefits can be noted. Minor complications have been described, such as fever, hydro-electrolytic disorders, nausea and vomiting, wound infections, urinary tract infection, pneumonia, and blood transfusion. Rare major complications including respiratory failure and cardiac arrest were also reported. These complications can be minimized following some basic principles: detailed and careful preoperative care of the cases, adequate robotic training program of the surgeon, and awareness of all the main steps of the procedure. © Springer International Publishing AG 2018.