[Indications from the laparoscopic approach in pediatric urological surgery: our experience in 49 patients]

To analyse the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of video-assisted laparoscopy in the urology paediatric pathology. We had analysed its indications and results, to measure in disminution of morbidity and hospital stay.

We are treated in our section of Paediatric Urology 49 patients during the period of June 1995 and December 1998, performing 51 laparoscopics procedures. The mean age was 8 years (2-16 years ago). The laparoscopic indications were diagnostic in 33 patients: intra-abdominal testes (n = 16), renal biopsy (n = 17), and terapeuthics in 16 patients (17 laparoscopics procedures): varicoceltomy (n = 7), orchiectomy (n = 1), closure peritoneal-vaginal duct (n = 2), retroperitoneal nephrectomy (n = 6), marsupilazation and omentoplastic in giant lymphocel renal post-transplantation (n = 2).

The laparoscopic approach were effective in 100% of diagnostic procedures and 93.4% of therapeuticm procedures. Conversion in 2 cases were necessary to make renal biopsy (n = 1). We hadn't have postoperatives complications and the indices of intraoperative morbidity was of 2.4%. The mean hospital stay was 1.4 days.

We believe that exist indications clinically stabilised of laparoscopic approach--diagnostic and therapeutic--in paediatric urology. There are others indications that its are consider anecdotal in the present but in immediately future these indications will be valid.