ArticleSurgical endoscopy2017
Transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy in children: is it worth it?
Article in Surgical endoscopy, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (TULAA) vs conventional three-port laparoscopic appendectomy (CTLA) in the pediatric population: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of pediatrics · 2025Pooled it
- Transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy: a feasible minimally invasive option for pediatric acute appendicitis with comparable outcomes to three-port laparoscopic appendectomy.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026Article
- Risk factors and incidence of unplanned re-operation after transumbilical single-hole laparoscopic appendectomy in children.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2025Article
- Transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy in children and adolescents: what have we learnt in more than 1200 cases?Langenbeck's archives of surgery · 2024Article
- [Twenty years of transumbilical appendectomy in Navarre: This is just the beginning].Anales del sistema sanitario de Navarra · 2024Article
- Single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy versus traditional three-hole laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis in children by senior pediatric surgeons: a multicenter study from China.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2023Article
- <Editors' Choice> Advantages of gasless single-port transumbilical extracorporeal laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy in the treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis in children in China: a multi-institutional retrospective study.Nagoya journal of medical science · 2022Article
- Transumbilical Single-Incision Laparoscopic-Assisted Appendectomy (TULAA) Is Useful in Adults and Young Adolescents: Comparison with Multi-Port Laparoscopic Appendectomy.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2019Article
- Is Transumbilical Laparoscopic-assisted Appendectomy Better than Laparoscopic Appendectomy in Children? A Randomized Controlled Study.Journal of Indian Association of Pediatric SurgeonsArticle
- Single-Port and Conventional Laparoscopic Appendectomy in Children with Acute Appendicitis.JSLS : Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic SurgeonsArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionTransumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (TULAA) is the technique of choice for all types of appendicitis in our Department. It combines the advantages of laparoscopy (global vision and minimally invasion) and open surgery (lower cost). The objective was to assess the results of our TULAA series and compare them to the results of standard laparoscopic appendectomies (SLA) performed during the same period.
methodsRetrospective review of total appendectomies performed since TULAA introduction (September 2003 to December 2015) with statistic analysis of the results.
resultsA total of 1309 patients underwent TULAA approach, but 126 (9.6%) needed reconversion to open appendectomy, 1 (0.08%) to SLA, and 9 (0.7%) introduction of a second port. Mean age and weight of patients was 121.5 ± 36 months and 37.6 ± 14 kg, respectively. Mean operative time was 40.9 ± 15.5 min, ranging from 11 to 110. All types of appendicitis were present, with 394 being complicated (29.9%). Postoperative complications were seen in 168 patients (14.3%), 37 being readmitted (3.2%), and only five needing reintervention (Two intestinal occlusions and three abscess debridement). When comparing TULAA and SLA, there were no significant differences in the length of hospitalization, time to tolerate soft diet, analgesic requirements, and complications depending on the type of appendicitis, but TULAA was significantly faster and cheaper (average 900€).
conclusionsIn our hands, TULAA has shown to be effective, easy to learn, and fast to perform. Low surgical cost is probably its principal advantage, which might be encouraging in times of crisis.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.