RESUMO
BACKGROUND: In patients with primary hyperaldosteronism, solitary adrenal adenomas are an indication for surgical intervention. In contrast, adrenal hyperplasia is almost exclusively treated by drugs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a prospective clinical study 183 patients (81 men, 102 women; age 49.6+/-12.8 years) with Conn's syndrome were operated on using the posterior retroperitoneoscopic approach. Tumor size ranged from 0.2 to 5.0 cm (mean 1.5+/-0.8 cm). Final histology described a solitary adenoma in 127 patients and adrenal hyperplasia in 56 patients. Partial adrenalectomies were performed in 47 operations. RESULTS: The perioperative complication rate was 4%, mortality zero. In none of the cases was conversion to open surgery necessary. The mean operating time was 58+/-32 minutes (range 20-230 minutes) and was associated with sex (p<0.001) but not with the extent of resection (partial vs. total, p=0.51) or with tumor size (