Objective: To compare the outcomes of treatment in children with acute appendicitis between laparoscopic and open surgical approaches.
Design: Retrospective study.
Setting: Division of Pediatric Surgery at a tertiary-care hospital in Croatia between January 2012 to December 2016.
Patients: 834 children [median (IQR) age 13 (11,15)] who underwent appendectomy; 301 in the laparoscopic group and 533 in the open group.
Main outcome measures: Postoperative complications, duration of hospitalization, re-operation, and the quantity of analgesics used.
Results: The median length of hospital stay was 3 days in laparoscopic group compared to 6 days in open group (P<0.001). The amount of analgesics used was lower in patients with laparoscopic appendectomy compared to patients who underwent open procedure (P=0.042). Significantly higher number of wound infections was recorded in the open group (n=21; 3.9%) compared to laparoscopic group (n=3; 1%) (P=0.014). The frequency of re-operation in both groups was equal (1.3%). The median duration of surgery was shorter in the group of patients with laparoscopic appendectomy compared to the open approach (30 vs. 45 min; P<0.001). In five-year period, the proportion of laparoscopic appendectomies increased by 21.5%.
Conclusions: Laparoscopic appendectomy was safe and effective in children. Advantages of laparoscopic approach were shorter hospital stay, lower number of wound infections and lower usage of analgesics.