Laparoscopy for right lower quadrant pain in children

Abstract

One hundred seventy children with recurrent episodes of right lower quadrant pain were submitted to diagnostic laparoscopy including an appendectomy. The diagnostic gain was excellent. Postoperative pain medication requirements and recovery time were reduced compared to conventional laparotomies. However, the complication rate of laparoscopy was far higher than with conventional-approach techniques: 170 laparoscopies with appendectomies involved 2 stump insufficiencies, 2 large-vessel injuries, 1 thrombosis of the deep pelvic veins, and 9 minor complications. One-half of the complications originated from the additional appendectomy.