To compare the safety and effects of transperitoneal and retroperitoneal laparoscopic for adrenalectomy for adrenal tumor.

The clinical data of 35 patients underwent unilateral adrenalectomy by transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy and 31 patients by retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy from March 2012 to December 2017 were reviewed in our hospital. The time of trocar insertion, operation time, blood loss, fasting time, drainage time and hospitalization days after operation between the two groups were compared.

Operations was successfully performed in all 66 cases, and no open surgery was converted in any case. Between the transperitoneal and retroperitoneal groups, no significant differences in operating time and post-operation fasting time were found. However, the time of trocar insertion, blood loss, drainage time and the hospitalization days after operation in transperitoneal group were less than those in retroperitoneal group. When the adrenal gland tumor was over 6 cm in diameter, drainage time, the hospitalization days after operation, the time of resection of tumor in transperitoneal group was less than that in groups.

The adrenalectomy for adrenal gland tumor through two approachs are safe and effective. Trocar insertion and total operation time in transperitoneal group may be shorter than in retroperitoneal. The transperitoneal approach has even more advantages in total operating time and safety when the adrenal gland tumor over 6 cm in diameter.