Thirty robotic adrenalectomies: A single institution's experience

Background: Robotic adrenalectomy is a minimally invasive alternative to traditional laparoscopic adrenalectomy. To date, only case reports and small series of robotic adrenalectomies have been reported. This study presents a single institution's series of 30 robotic adrenalectomies, and evaluates the procedure's safety, efficacy, and cost. Methods: Thirty patients underwent robotic adrenalectomy at the Johns Hopkins Hospital between April 2001 and January 2004. Patient morbidity, hospital length of stay, operative time, and conversion rate to traditional laparoscopic or open surgery are presented. Improvement in operative time with surgeon experience is evaluated. Hospital charges are compared to charges for traditional laparoscopic and open adrenalectomies performed during the same time period. Results: Median operative time was 185 min. Patient morbidity was 7%. There were no conversions to traditional laparoscopic or open surgery. The median hospital stay was 2 days. Operative time improved significantly by 3 min with each operation. Hospital charges for robotic adrenalectomy ($12,977) were not significantly different than charges for traditional laparoscopic ($11,599) or open adrenalectomy ($14,600). Conclusions: Robotic adrenalectomy is a safe and effective alternative to traditional laparoscopic adrenalectomy.