Laparoscopic-assisted Appendectomy in Children with Uncomplicated Appendicitis

Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the common surgical emergencies in the pediatric population. In 1990, laparoscopic-assisted  appendectomy was used in children for the first time. In this study, we present our initial experience with laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy in children, using two trocar sites, and assess it for safety and outcome. Methods: 76 cases with acute appendicitis underwent laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), Kingdom of Bahrain, between January 2012 and December 2015. These cases were reviewed prospectively. Results: 76 patients between 5 and 12 years underwent laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy at SMC. Operative time ranged from 25 to 45 min  (mean 33.93 min). Postoperative hospitalization ranged from 2 to 5 days (mean 2.88 days). One patient developed wound infection which  subsequently subsided with conservative treatment. One case was converted to open appendectomy, but without any intraoperative complications. All patients were followed up for 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. Conclusion: Laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy in children is a safe alternative to the open technique. The operative time in this technique and the length of hospitalization are both less and shorter than the open counterpart. No major intra-operative or postoperative complications were documented. Recovery was excellent. Keywords: Appendicitis, Laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy, Open appendectomy