Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34423165›Full record

ArticleTranslational gastroenterology and hepatology2021

Use of hem-o-lok clips for laparoscopic appendectomy in children: retrospective analysis and comparison to ligature loop and endoscopic surgical stapler.

Ennio J Fuentes, Eduardo A Pérez, Ricardo Díez, Pablo Aguado, Cecilia Moreno, Henar Souto, Jose L Alonso

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Translational gastroenterology and hepatology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Chronic pain from retained Hem-o-lokTranslational pediatrics · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Ennio J FuentesDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
Eduardo A PérezDivision of Pediatric Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
Ricardo DíezDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
Pablo AguadoDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
Cecilia MorenoDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
Henar SoutoDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, University Children's Hospital of the Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain.
Jose L AlonsoDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, University Children's Hospital of the Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain.
Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz · ESHospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús · ESUniversity of Miami · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThere are multiple techniques used for laparoscopic appendectomy (LA): ligature loop (LL), surgical stapler (SS) (Endopath Ets-Flex-Endoscopic Articulating Linear Cutter 33 mm Standard Ref Atb 35. Ethicon, Somerville, New Jersey, US), and hem-o-lok clips (HOL) (Weck Closure System. Triangle Park, NC, USA). The application of the LL usually demands dexterity and training, whilst using HOL may be more advantageous due to its simplicity in terms of application and its low cost in contrast with the SS. The objective of this study is to determine safety and efficacy of the different devices that can be used in the surgical procedure.

methodsFrom June 2016 to December 2019, 253 consecutive children aged to 1 to 18 years were retrospectively reviewed. They were divided into three groups depending on the device used to secure the appendix: (I) in the first group, the base of the appendix was secured by double LL, (II) in the second group the base of the appendix was secured with SS, and (III) in the third group the base of the appendix was secured with two non-absorbable HOL. The data collected includes age, gender, operative time, device used to ligate the base of the appendix, previous tests (blood analysis, imaging), antibiotic prophylaxis administered, length of hospital stay, intraoperative and postoperative complications, shoulder pain and histological study of the specimen.

resultsThere were 253 patients that underwent laparoscopic appendectomy during the study time, with a mean age of 10.3±4.1 in the LL group, 9.4±2.7 in the SS group and 10.4±3.3 in the HOL group, P=0.165. Distribution by gender was 77.8% for males in the LL group, 65.2% in the SS group and 61.3% in the HOL group, P=0.559. The mean surgical time with IQR in brackets was 60.0 (10.0) minutes (min), in the first group in which the base of the appendix was secured with LL, in the second group in which the base of the appendix was secured with SS 60.0 (15.0) min and finally in the third in which the base of the appendix was secured with HOL 40.0 (30.0) min, P<0.001. HOL clips have a significantly lower cost than their analogues. Specifically, 5 HOL clips have a cost of EUR 26.75, while three LL have a cost of EUR 53.70 and a single SS has a cost of EUR 276.58. Postoperative complications were found in 14.3% of the LL group, 9.8% in the SS group and 4.6% in the HOL group, P=0.137. Efficacy and safety in controlling the base of appendix were the same in all groups.

conclusionsThe HOL are safe and reduce surgical costs during laparoscopic appendectomy in children.

Indexed as

Appendectomyappendicitischildrenhem-o-lok clip (HOL)laparoscopy

Identifiers

PMID34423165
PMCPMC8343416
OpenAlexW3087556396

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.