title: Laparoscopic appendectomy for perforated appendicitis in children has complication rates comparable with those of open appendectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the outcome of laparoscopic (LA) vs. open appendectomy (OA) in children with perforated appendicitis (PA).
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the medical files of 221 children who underwent LA (n=75), OA (n=122), and conversion (CO) (n=24), comparing duration of operation, re-admissions, re-operations, intra-abdominal abscesses (IAA), and wound infections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to OA, LA resulted in fewer re-admissions (1.3% vs. 12.3%; P=.006), fewer re-operations (4% vs. 17.2%; P=.006), and fewer wound infections (0% vs. 11.5%; P=.001). No differences in the duration of operation (72.9 ± 23.0 min vs. 77.7 ± 48.0 min; P=.392) or IAA (4% vs. 11.5%; P=.114) were observed. Compared to LA, CO had more complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report that LA is superior to OA with regard to incidence of re-admission, re-operation, and wound infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Marienhospital-Kinderchirurgische Klinik der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Widumerstr. 8, 44627 Herne, Germany. rvahdad@aol.com
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vahdad
authors.forename: Ralf-Bodo
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Troebs
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nissen
authors.forename: Lars Benjamin
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
authors.forename: Svenja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hardwig
authors.forename: Grigore
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cernaianu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies