title: Minimally invasive surgery versus open surgery for the treatment of solid abdominal and thoracic neoplasms in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is an accepted surgical technique for the treatment of a variety of benign diseases. Presently, the use of MIS in patients with cancer is progressing. However, the role of MIS in children with solid neoplasms is less clear than it is in adults. Diagnostic MIS to obtain biopsy specimens for pathology has been accepted as a technique in paediatric surgical oncology, but there is limited experience with the use of MIS for the resection of malignancies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the differences in outcome between the minimally invasive and open approach in the treatment of solid intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal neoplasms in children, regarding overall survival, event-free survival, port-site metastases, recurrence rate and surgical morbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the electronic databases of MEDLINE/PubMed (from 1966 to February 2011), EMBASE/Ovid (from 1980 to February 2011) and CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 1) with pre-specified terms. In addition, we searched reference lists of relevant articles and reviews, conference proceedings and ongoing trial databases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or controlled clinical trials (CCTs) comparing MIS and open surgery for the treatment of solid intra-thoracic or intra-abdominal neoplasms in children (aged 0 to 18 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two authors performed the study selection independently.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No studies that met the inclusion criteria of this review were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No RCTs or CCTs evaluating MIS in the treatment of solid intra-thoracic or intra-abdominal neoplasms in children could be identified, therefore no definitive conclusions could be made about the effects of MIS in these patients. Based on the currently available evidence we are not able to give recommendations for the use of MIS in the treatment of solid intra-thoracic or intra-abdominal neoplasms in children. More high quality studies (RCTs and/or CCTs) are needed. To accomplish this, centres specialising in MIS in children should collaborate.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Surgical Center of Amsterdam, EmmaChildren’sHospital / AcademicMedical Center, Amsterdam,Netherlands.
authors.forename: Manou S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: de Lijster
authors.forename: Rosemarijn M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bergevoet
authors.forename: Elvira C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: van Dalen
authors.forename: Erna M C
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Michiels
authors.forename: Huib N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.forename: Leontien C M
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Kremer
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Aronson
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007813:Laparotomy; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D013908:Thoracotomy