A Novel Two-Trocar Transumbilical Laparoscopic Appendectomy: Lower Cost and No Visible Scars.

Abstract

Children in high-resource countries enjoy the short- and long-term benefits of the laparoscopic approach when appendectomy is necessary. Children in resource-limited settings may not have the same opportunity, in part due to cost restraints related to the expense of the laparoscopic equipment required. This study describes a novel approach for the laparoscopic appendectomy which is lower in cost than the standard three trocar approach and could be utilized in lower resource areas. This novel two-trocar transumbilical appendectomy is a low-cost option, quicker, and has a comparable length of stay and complication profile than the standard three-trocar appendectomy, while requiring no specialized equipment and leaving no visible scar.