Original ResearchTransumbilical laparoscopically assisted extracorporeal appendectomy in children and young adults: A retrospective cohort study

•Comparing transumbilical laparoscopically assisted extracorporeal appendectomy in pediatric patients and young adults.•Operative time, length of stay, and cost did not differ significantly between pediatric and young adult patients.•No difference of infection rate or conversion to conventional appendectomy was noted between children and young adults.

BackgroundTo compare surgical outcomes of pediatric patients aged 0-15 with acute appendicitis treated with single-port, transumbilical, extracorporeal laparoscopically assisted appendectomy (SP) with young adult patients aged 16-21.Materials and methodsSingle center retrospective chart review in patients 21 years and younger with a pre-operative diagnosis of appendicitis who underwent SP between January 2010 and December 2015. Patients were divided into two groups based on age. Operative time (OT), length of stay (LOS), cost, rates of conversion to standard three-port laparoscopic appendectomy (TP), and rates of infection were compared between the groups.ResultsSP was performed in a total of 263 patients: 211 in pediatric patients aged 0-15 and 52 in patients aged 16-21. Age groups did not differ significantly on cost, LOS, operative time, rates of conversion to TP, or rates of infection.ConclusionsSP has comparable surgical outcomes in adolescent, adult, and pediatric patients.