Appendectomy is the most common emergency surgical operation in children. The laparoscopic treatment of pediatric appendicitis is controversial, particularly in complicated cases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) and open appendectomy (OA) for simple and perforated appendicitis (SA, PA) in children. A total of 188 patients, operated from January 1992 to September 2003, were reviewed. Ninety-one patients underwent OA (65 SA and 26 PA) and 97 had LA ( 67 SA, 30 PA). There was one conversion of LA to OA in PA. Operative time for LA was longer for OA in PA (55.8 vs. 45.7 min; p=0.0467). Recovery of bowel movement, diet starting time, length of hospital stay for LA were significantly shorter than those for OA. Postoperative complication rate was not different between LA and OA in each group. Laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe and effective method for both simple and perforated appendicitis.

Intestinal obstruction secondary to intraabdominal adhesion is a well-known postoperative complication occurring after appendectomy. The aim of this study was to measure the incidence and clinical manifestations of mechanical intestinal obstruction after appendectomy for perforated appendicitis. We reviewed all of the children (age <16 years) who had been treated for appendicitis at Asan Medical Center between January 1996 and December 2001. Inclusion criterion included either gross or microscopic evidence of appendiceal perforation. Exclusion criteria were interval appendectomy, and patients immune compromised by chemotherapy. Associations of intestinal obstruction with age, sex, operation time, and use of peritoneal drains were analyzed. Four hundred and sixty two open appendectomies for appendicitis were performed at our department. One hundred and seventeen children were treated for perforated appendicitis (78 boys, 39 girls). The mean age was 8.9 years (range 1.5 to 14.8 years). There were no deaths. Eight patients were readmitted due to intestinal obstruction, but there was no readmission due to intestinal obstruction in patients with non-perforated appendicitis. The interval between appendectomy and intestinal obstruction varied from 12 days to 2 year 7 months. Four patients needed laparotomies. In three of four, only adhesiolysis was performed. One child needed small bowel resection combined with adhesiolysis. There was no significant association between age or sex and the development of intestinal obstruction. This was no association with operative time or use of peritoneal drain. Patients who required appendectomy for perforated appendicitis have a higher incidence of postoperative intestinal obstruction than those with nonperforated appendicitis. For the patients with perforated appendicitis, careful operative procedures as well as pre and postoperative managements are required to reduce adhesions and subsequent bowel obstruction.

The authors, over the last 6 months, have treated 2 patients with perforated typhlitis complicating acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) with good outcome. The first patient was a 13-year-old male who developed intermittent high fever, abdominal pain, abdominal distention and diarrhea during the course of maintenance chemotherapy. The peripheral leukocyte ranged from 230-470/mm³. Serial ultra sonograms and CT scans demonstrated irregular thickening of the cecal and ascending colonic walls and subsequent ragged perforation of the posterior wall of the cecum. He survived after treatment by right hemicolectomy and aggressive supportive measures. The patient case was a 3 year-old female who developed intermittent high fever , right lower abdominal pain, a mass, and watery diarrhea during the course of maintenance chemotherapy. Serial ultra sonograms and CT scans demonstrated irregular thickening of the cecal wall (6-15mm in thickness) and subsequent small perforation of the posterior wall of the cecum with thick-walled localized abscess. She has recovered completely after aggressive medical management. We learned two lessons from our experience treating these patients: 1) early diagnosis provided by a high index of suspicion and the use of ultra sonogram or CT scan is essential. And 2) although perforation is one of the surgical indications for the treatment of typhlitis, it is possible to manage the perforation nonoperatively in selected cases with localized abscess.