[Small bowel obstruction and laparoscopic treatment in children]

From 1992 to 1996, 15 children with an acute small bowel obstruction were treated by laparoscopy. There were 10 boys and 5 girls between 6 to 15 years. They had been formerly operated in the neonatal period (4 cases), for appendectomy (9 cases), or ureteronephrectomy for Wilm's tumor (1 case), and caudal pancreatectomy after a traumatism (1 case). Thirteen times it was the first obstruction and twice the second or more (but never treated by surgery). Conversion in laparotomy was necessary in 4 cases. There were no operative complication. We noted a quick recovery (12 hours), an early discharge (3.5 days), and a good postoperative comfort. Laparoscopic viscerolysis for acute small bowel obstructions seems to be a good treatment in children.