[Open versus laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis in children].

Area of Science:

• Surgical innovation and comparative effectiveness research.
• Pediatric surgery and emergency medicine.

Background:

• Acute appendicitis is a prevalent condition requiring surgical intervention, typically appendectomy.
• Laparoscopic appendectomy has gained traction, often supplanting traditional open procedures.
• Objective comparison of surgical approaches is crucial for evidence-based practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively compare laparoscopic versus open appendectomy for acute phlegmonous appendicitis.
• To evaluate key objective parameters including anesthesia time, surgical duration, and post-operative pain.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients undergoing appendectomy between 2009-2016.
• Inclusion of only patients with confirmed phlegmonous appendicitis for data homogeneity.
• Assessment of anesthesia duration, operative time, and post-operative pain as primary outcome measures.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant shorter anesthesia time was observed in the open appendectomy group (p=0.00035).
• Operative time trended shorter for open surgery, nearing statistical significance.
• No statistically significant difference in post-operative pain duration was found between laparoscopic and open appendectomy.

Conclusions:

• Laparoscopic appendectomy represents a modern standard, yet open appendectomy remains a viable and equivalent alternative for phlegmonous appendicitis.
• The study supports open surgery as a comparable treatment option, particularly in specific patient cohorts.
• Objective data indicate comparable post-operative pain, challenging the notion of universal superiority for laparoscopic approaches.