Postoperative Outcomes among Pediatric and Adolescent Patients Undergoing Minilaparotomy vs Laparoscopy in the Management of Adnexal Lesions

Abstract

Study objective: To compare institutional experience in postoperative recovery in children and adolescents who undergo laparoscopy vs minilaparotomy in the management of benign adnexal cystic lesions.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary care children's hospital.

Participants: Patients ages 6-21 years who underwent surgical management for benign adnexal lesions.

Interventions and main outcome measures: Comparison of surgery times, size of lesions, pain scores, and patient length of stay after minilaparotomy vs laparoscopy.

Results: Forty-four patients were identified. Of those, 59% (n = 26) had a laparoscopic procedure and 41% (n = 18) underwent minilaparotomy. Patients who underwent minilaparotomy were more likely to have a larger adnexal mass than those in the laparoscopy group with a median size of 15.5 cm vs 6.0 cm, respectively (P < .001). Postoperative length of stay and recovery were comparable in both groups.

Conclusion: Minilaparotomy offers a minimally invasive option for the management of benign adnexal lesions in the pediatric and adolescent age group with recovery comparable to that of laparoscopy. The minilaparotomy approach should be considered when laparoscopy is limited.

Keywords: Adnexal masses; Laparoscopy; Minilaparotomy; Minimally invasive.