Low-cost laparoscopic appendectomy in pediatric patients

Background/purpose Laparoscopic appendectomy is
widely practiced worldwide and has become one of the
commonly performed procedures in pediatric surgery
practice. However, the cost effectiveness of the procedure
remains a major concern. The present study aimed to
evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the operative
techniques used to reduce the cost of the procedure.
Patients and methods A prospective study was
conducted on patients undergoing laparoscopic
appendectomy over a period of 2 years. The techniques
used to reduce the cost of laparoscopic appendectomy
were as follows: (i) using reusable trocars instead of
disposable ones; (ii) using monopolar electrogoagualtion
to seal the mesoappendix instead of staplers, LigaSure, or
Harmonic scalpels; and (iii) using a handmade loop to
secure the base of the appendix instead of using
endoloops.
Results This study included 39 boys and 21 girls. The
median age was 10 years. The mean duration of the
operation was 56.5 min. No intraoperative complications