Single-Port and Conventional Laparoscopic Appendectomy in Children with Acute Appendicitis.

Abstract

Objective: The aim is to evaluate and contrast the effectiveness of single-port versus conventional laparoscopic appendectomy in pediatric cases, providing a rigorous assessment of their respective therapeutic impacts.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed on pediatric appendicitis cases operated on by a single primary surgeon using either single-port or conventional laparoscopic techniques between July 2015 and June 2024. The study encompassed variables such as age, onset timing, operative duration, hospital stay, and pathological classification, to compare the therapeutic outcomes of both surgical approaches.

Results: The retrospective review included 1,435 pediatric cases of acute appendicitis, with 1,239 in the conventional laparoscopic group and 196 in the single-port laparoscopic group. The conventional laparoscopic procedure utilized a 3-port technique, whereas the single-port laparoscopic group employed a silicone 3-port Trocar. Statistical analysis of age, onset timing, operative duration, and hospital stay revealed no significant differences between the 2 groups. Pathological examination of appendicitis types, as determined by the χ² test, indicated no significant disparities in distribution across the groups.

Conclusion: Given that pediatric surgeons possess adept laparoscopic surgical skills, single-port laparoscopic surgery is a viable alternative to conventional laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of acute appendicitis in children, offering comparable therapeutic benefits.