title: Spleen surgery in pediatric age: seven-year unicentric experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Either "open" and laparoscopic spleen surgery in pediatric age are well known and performed with ease in children. Yet, few data regarding follow-up and outcome are discussed in the international literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical notes of all patient who underwent spleen surgery in a single center between 2000 and 2007 were reviewed and a specific follow-up questionnaire was administered, aiming to evaluate pre- and postoperative data, especially considering underlying disease, cosmetic results, and quality of life after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one patients underwent spleen surgery in our series, 33 of whom returned a complete follow-up questionnaire and were included in the study. Splenectomy was performed in 26 patients, whereas 7 patients underwent a partial splenectomy; 19 cases (57.6%) were approached laparoscopically. A total of 4 complications (12%) occurred in our series, none of them being intraoperative. Hospital stay resulted as significantly shorter in laparoscopic cases (5.5 +/- 2.9 vs. 8.7 +/- 4.8 days; P < 0.01), with better results in terms of cosmetics. Quality of life is strictly related to underlying disease, as well as long-term survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whatever surgical approach is adopted, spleen surgery is safe, effective, and reproducible. When feasible, the laparoscopic approach should be preferred to the traditional open approach, as far as efficacy and safety are similar, in order to reduce hospital stay, abdominal wall traumatism, and consequently, improve postoperative pain control and cosmetic results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, G. Gaslini Children's University Institute, Genoa, Italy., University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. girolamomattioli@ospedale-gaslini.ge.it
authors.forename: Girolamo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avanzini
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pini Prato
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Asquasciati
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rapuzzi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bisio
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boeri
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montobbio
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jasonni
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome