Unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy followed by contralateral retroperitoneoscopic partial adrenalectomy in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2a syndrome.

We report the first patient who had bilateral pheochromocytoma associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2a syndrome (MEN 2a) and underwent unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy followed by contralateral retroperitoneoscopic partial adrenalectomy 2 years later. The postoperative course was uneventful both times, and the patient was cured of hypertension without any need for steroid replacement. Endoscopic partial adrenalectomy is a minimally invasive procedure for pheochromocytoma with mild symptoms. We believe that this procedure has considerable potential for treating bilateral pheochromocytoma, which is frequently observed in patients with MEN 2a.