From
StayCurrentMD
Scoping it Out: The Use of Laparoscopy After Penetrating Trauma in Stable Children
hosted by Dr. Lizzie Lee
Chapter 1 of 1 · Evidence & Research
Laparoscopy outcomes
Laparoscopy vs Open Surgery in Pediatric Penetrating Abdominal Trauma
Expert statements on this page
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Host summaries · secondary, not cited in answers
Educational content from recorded physician discussions — not medical advice. Talk to your (or your child's) care team about your situation.
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What the experts said
The study examined whether laparoscopy has shorter length of stay and fewer complications than open surgery or laparoscopic converted to open surgery in children with penetrating abdominal trauma.
The retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program on approximately 1900 patients.
Laparoscopy was performed in 12% of cases.
Laparoscopy was used mainly for stab wounds and at pediatric trauma centers.
Laparoscopy showed no increase in complications compared to open surgery.
Patients who had laparoscopies had shorter hospital stays compared to open surgery.
Patients who had laparoscopies had fewer follow-up procedures compared to open surgery.
Many surgeons hesitate to use laparoscopy for penetrating trauma due to fear of missing injuries.
The study found a low occurrence of missed injuries after laparoscopic exploration.