Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Splenectomy In Children: A Case Report with Literature Review
Published on: March 27, 2026
Interval laparoscopic appendectomy in children
Anthony Owen1, Olivia Moore, Sean Marven
1Paediatric Surgical Unit, Sheffield Children's Hospital, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom. Anthony.Owen@sch.nhs.uk
Insights
Conservative management of complicated appendicitis in children is effective. Interval laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe and minimally invasive follow-up procedure with excellent outcomes and low complication rates.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Gastrointestinal Surgery
Background:
- Conservative management of complicated appendicitis in children, including appendiceal mass or abscess, is increasingly common.
- Interval appendectomy is often advocated after initial non-operative treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and outcomes of interval laparoscopic appendectomy in children previously treated for appendiceal mass or abscess.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 36 children who underwent interval laparoscopic appendectomy between 2000 and 2004.
- Data collected included demographics, treatment duration, operative details, and complications.
Main Results:
- 35 children underwent interval laparoscopic appendectomy with a median interval of 93 days post-conservative treatment.
- Median operative time was 55 minutes, with a median hospital stay of 1 day for the appendectomy.
- No complications were reported following interval laparoscopic appendectomy.
Conclusions:
- Interval laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe procedure in children following conservative management of appendiceal mass or abscess.
- It offers benefits of short hospital stay, minimal morbidity, and eliminates risk of recurrent appendicitis.
- Potential for day-case procedures in selected patients is suggested for the future.
Background:
Conservative management of advanced complicated appendicitis in children is becoming more common. Formation of an appendiceal mass or abscess may mitigate against urgent appendectomy during the acute stage, and conservative treatment followed by interval appendectomy has been advocated. We present our experience of interval laparoscopic appendectomy in our institution.
Materials And Methods:
All children who were offered interval laparoscopic appendectomy between January 2000 and December 2004 were included. Retrospective case note analysis was performed and data collected included demographics, duration of symptoms, method of diagnosis, days of antibiotics, length of interval, operative time, length of hospital stay (conservative treatment and interval laparoscopic appendectomy), analgesia requirements, complications, and histology.
Results:
Thirty-six children, median age 8 years (range, 1-15 years) diagnosed with appendiceal mass or abscess were offered interval laparoscopic appendectomy by two surgeons in our institution: one patient declined interval laparoscopic appendectomy. Median antibiotic treatment was 10 days (range, 3-23 days). Median length of stay for conservative treatment was 6 days (range, 1-27 days). Five children required percutaneous drainage. For the 35 children who had interval laparoscopic appendectomy, the median interval was 93 days (range, 34-156 days) and median operative time was 55 minutes (range, 25-120 minutes). Median length of stay for interval laparoscopic appendectomy was 1 day (range, 1-3 days). There were no complications following interval laparoscopic appendectomy.
Conclusion:
Interval laparoscopic appendectomy can be safely performed in children, is associated with a short hospital stay and minimal morbidity, analgesia, and scarring following conservative management of appendiceal mass or abscess. Interval laparoscopic appendectomy eliminates the risk of recurrent appendicitis and serves to excise undiagnosed carcinoid tumors. In future it may be possible to perform interval laparoscopic appendectomy as a day-case procedure in selected patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Endoscopic Procedures IV: Sigmoidoscopy and Laproscopy
Sigmoidoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that uses a flexible sigmoidoscope equipped with a light source and camera to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon. The procedure involves inserting the tube through the anus...
01:19Appendicitis