Background: The aims of the present study were to (1) analyse preoperative computed tomography (CT) parameters, (2) investigate whether obesity and CT parameters affect surgical outcomes in patients undergoing LESS lateral retroperitoneal adrenalectomy, and (3) further establish the optimal cutoff point of CT parameters for tolerable operating time.
Methods: Between January 2010 and August 2016, patients who underwent LESS adrenalectomy through the retroperitoneal approach in our hospitals were included. Patients' demographic data, preoperatively measured CT parameters (the depth and horizontal width to the adrenal gland in the axial view of abdominal CT, the vertical height in the coronal view of CT, and the angle of the depth and horizontal width), and intraoperative (operative time and blood loss) and postoperative (hospital stay and complications) parameters were retrospectively reviewed. Linear regression was performed to determine factors that potentially affect surgical outcomes.
Results: In 116 patients, depth was the only CT parameter associated with surgical outcomes. Large depth (P = 0.005; 95% CI 1.739-9.256) and high BMI (P = 0.012; 95% CI 0.357-2.851) were factors significantly associated with longer operative time. The area under the ROC curve for the depth was 0.69 (P = 0.002), and the cutoff point 10.48 cm may be the tolerable operating time.
Conclusions: Our results suggest a depth limit of 10.48 cm for the optimal prediction of operating time less than 90 min; although obese patients and deeper adrenal glands had longer operative time, LESS adrenalectomy could be performed in the obese patients without increased blood loss, prolonged hospital stay, or increased pain.
Keywords: Adrenalectomy; Computed tomography; Laparoscopy; Obesity; Treatment outcome.