Single port laparoscopic appendectomy in children using glove port and conventional rigid instruments.
OBJECTIVE
To further improve the advantages of minimally invasive surgery, single port laparoscopic techniques continue to be developed. We report our initial experience with single port laparoscopic appendectomy (SPLA) in children and compare its outcomes to those of conventional laparoscopic appendectomy (CLA).


METHODS
Clinical data were prospectively collected for SPLA cases performed at Chung-Ang University Hospital by a single surgeon between March 2011 and December 2011, including operative time, perioperative complications, conversion rate, and length of hospital stay. Each case of SPLA was performed using conventional laparoscopic instruments through Glove port placed into the single umbilical incision. To compare outcomes, a retrospective review was performed for those patients who underwent CLA between March 2010 and December 2010.


RESULTS
Thirty-one patients underwent SPLA and 114 patients underwent CLA. Mean age (10.5 years vs. 11.1 years, P = 0.43), weight (48.2 kg vs. 42.9 kg, P = 0.27), and operation time (41.8 minutes vs. 37.9 minutes, P = 0.190) were comparable between both groups. Mean hospital stay was longer for CLA group (2.6 days vs. 3.7 days, P = 0.013). There was no conversion to conventional laparoscopic surgery in SPLA group. In CLA group, there were nine complications (7.9%) with 3 cases of postoperative ileuses and 6 cases wound problems. There was one complication (3.2%) of umbilical surgical site infection in SPLA group (P = 0.325).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study demonstrated that SPLA using conventional laparoscopic instruments is technically feasible and safe in children. SPLA using conventional laparoscopic instruments might be popularized by eliminating the need for specially designed instruments.
Department of Surgery, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seung Eun
SE
Lee
Department of Surgery, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Yoo Shin
YS
Choi
Department of Surgery, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Beom Gyu
BG
Kim
Department of Surgery, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seong-Jae
SJ
Cha
Department of Surgery, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Joong-Min
JM
Park
Department of Surgery, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
In Taik
IT
Chang
Appendectomy; Laparoscopy; Pediatrics; Single-incision