Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Robot-Assisted Radical Antegrade Modular Pancreatosplenectomy Including Resection and Reconstruction of the Spleno-Mesenteric Junction
Published on: January 3, 2020
Minimally invasive surgery in pediatric cancer patients
William W Spurbeck1, Andrew M Davidoff, Thom E Lobe
1Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. drspurbeck@yahoo.com
Background:
The specific use of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in pediatric cancer patients is limited. We evaluated the 5-year experience at a single institution with MIS in children with malignancies.
Methods:
A retrospective review was undertaken of all MIS performed between November 1995 and October 2000.
Results:
A total of 101 pediatric oncology patients underwent 113 MIS procedures-64 laparoscopic (57%) and 49 thoracoscopic (43%)-during this period. Laparoscopy was performed for diagnostic purposes in 27 cases (42%) and was successful in 25 (93%) cases. Laparoscopic tumor resection was performed in seven cases (11%). Thirty additional laparoscopic procedures (47%) were attempted for complications of the malignancy or its treatment. Four of these cases were converted to open laparotomies. Indications for thoracoscopy included the evaluation of a mediastinal mass (n = 7) or biopsy or resection of pulmonary lesions (metastatic, n = 31; infectious, n = 9). Fourteen cases (29%) had to be converted to open thoracotomy procedures, generally because of the inability to localize a lesion. The other 35 procedures were successful. The overall complication rate was 5%. No trocar site recurrences or infections were observed.
Conclusions:
We conclude that MIS in pediatric cancer patients is a safe and effective diagnostic modality. The role of MIS for primary tumor resection remains to be defined.
