LAPAROSCOPIC MANAGEMENT OF PEDIATRIC GALL STONE DISEASE

Objective: to describe our experience in evaluating the role of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in management of gallstone disease in children. Methods: A prospective study carried out on 20 patients with calculercholecystitis who were admitted to the hospital between September 2015 and May 2017 for laparoscopic cholecystectomy using four ports. Results: Twelve children (60%) were males and eight children (40%) were females. The mean age was 7 years (range 1 to 13 years). eighteen (90%) children had typical symptoms and two (10%) children had asymptomatic gallstones. Seventeen children underwent elective LC and three children were taken up for emergency LC. Postoperative complications occurred in two (10%) patients. one child had postoperative fever for two days, which resolved with intravenous antibiotics. The other One had serous discharge from the tube drain, which resolved spontaneously. Conclusions: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is confirmed to be a safe and efficacious treatment modality for pediatric gallstones especially when it is performed by an experienced surgeon. It is associated with less pain, fewer complications, and faster recovery than open procedures. There is increasing incidence of non-haemolyticcholelithiasis.