Laparoscopic or Open Appendectomy for Pediatric Appendicitis?

Background: This study aimed to compare open appendectomy (OA) and laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) in children by analyzing the differences in outcomes between the two techniques. Materials and Methods: This was a single-institution retrospective study. Data were collected from the medical records of all children <15 years of age who underwent an appendectomy from 2006 through 2014. Preoperative parameters, appendicitis severity, surgery time, complications, pain treatment, and postoperative outcome including days of hospital stay were collected. LA was performed with a two- or three-port technique, and a McBurney incision was adopted for OA. Conversions were regarded as OA. Results: A total of 406 appendectomies were performed during the study period, 146 (36%) OA (61 conversions) and 260 (64%) LA. No differences were found between the two groups regarding surgery time, operative and postoperative complications, and postoperative pain treatment. In cases of Phlegmonous appendicitis, LA was associated with a significantly shorter median hospital stay than was OA (1 and 1.8 days, respectively; p < 0.01). Healthy and Phlegmonous appendices were more commonly treated with LA (p < 0.01 for both); gangrenous, perforated, and abscessed appendices were more commonly treated with open surgery (p = 0.02, p < 0.01, and p < 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: The study identified no disadvantages of LA compared with OA. Therefore, LA should be the preferred technique because it is associate