An Update on Minimally Invasive Adrenalectomy

Adrenal tumors require careful clinical and biochemical evaluation with appropriate imaging to determine malignancy or functional status. Tumors that are suspicious or confirmed for malignancy or hormone-secreting require adrenalectomy. This review discusses adrenal gland anatomy, physiology, and pathology, indications for adrenalectomy, preoperative management, and an update on surgical approaches with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques. We describe the transabdominal and retroperitoneoscopic approaches to adrenalectomy and briefly discuss extensions of minimally invasive surgery including robotic-assisted and single portadrenalectomy.