Comparison Of Laparoscopic Versus Open Appendectomy Outcomes In Pediatric Patients: A Retrospective Single-Institution Review

Abstract

Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common abdominal emergencies in children. Surgical removal of the appendix is the preferred treatment for most patients. Currently, two primary surgical approaches exist open appendectomy (OA) and laparoscopic appendectomy (LA). While both procedures are widely used, there is ongoing debate regarding their comparative outcomes, especially regarding operating time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, and surgical site infection rates in pediatric patients. This study aims to compare the outcomes of LA and OA in pediatric patients, focusing on operating time, blood loss, postoperative length of hospital stays, and surgical site infection rates. Methods: Sixty pediatric patients who underwent appendectomy at a single institution over two years were retrospectively reviewed. Key outcomes, including operating time (OT), blood loss, length of hospital stay (LOS), and surgical site infection (SSI) rates, were compared between the two surgical techniques. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The mean operating time for LA was significantly longer (56.9 minutes) compared to OA (37.1 minutes) (p<0.05). However, mean blood loss was greater in OA (11.54 mL) than LA (10.38 mL) (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of postoperative LOS or SSI rates. Conclussion: The findings of this study indicate that both LA and OA are safe and effective approaches for the management of acute appendicitis in pediatric population. Although operating times were longer with LA approach, this was compensated by reduced blood loss compared to OA approach. Larger prospective studies are needed to further elucidate any potential differences in clinical outcomes between the two surgical techniques.