Transumbilical laparoscopically assisted appendectomy in children: the results of a single-port, single-channel procedure.

BACKGROUND: Even for pediatric patients, the use of laparoscopic appendectomy has been widely accepted, and three trocars usually are necessary to perform a laparoscopic appendectomy. However, single-port appendectomy for children represents an attractive alternative. To reduce the number of incisions and trocars, the authors have adopted a transumbilical laparoscopically assisted single-port appendectomy (TULAA) approach. This study aimed to evaluate the results of their single-channel, single-port appendectomy.

METHODS: A retrospective study of TULAA was performed during 12 years with 500 children ages 2-16 years (median, 10.2 years). The TULAA approach is a single-channel surgery using a 12 mm conventional single-port. The vertical incision through the umbilicus is used for laparoscopic access. Two laparoscopic instruments, a 5 mm telescope and a 5 mm grasper, are inserted simultaneously into the single-channel. The grasper holds the base of the appendix, and the appendix is exteriorized through the umbilical incision. Thereafter, a conventional appendectomy is performed extracorporeally.

RESULTS: The TULAA procedure was successful for 416 patients (83.2%). These successful TULAA procedures required a mean surgery time of 44.5 min. The pathologic diagnosis of the appendix was acute for 59 patients, phlegmonous for 203 patients, gangrenous for 152 patients, and not detected for two patients. Complications occurred for 47 of these patients (11.3%). Most of the complications were associated with severe intraabdominal inflammation. Two patients needed reoperation under general anesthesia. Conversion to multitrocar surgery or open appendectomy was performed for 84 of the patients (16.8%).

CONCLUSIONS: The TULAA procedure is a preferable operation for acute appendicitis in children because it is simple and provides good cosmetic results.