LAPAROSCOPIC APPENDECTOMY IN CHILDHOOD

Laparoscopic surgery is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon. Ov er a period of 18 months, 31 children (11 female, 13 male, aged 5-15 y ears) underwent laparoscopic appendicectomy. Of these, 23 had acute an d 8 recurrent abdominal pains. Their operation time ranged from 35 to 98 min and the in-patient stay was 2-8 days. There were no technical f ailures, however, 3 patients developed complications. Early experience suggests that laparoscopic appendicectomy in children is safe, howeve r, further experience is clearly needed in order to define the advanta ges of this new technique.