= Abstract=
Pediatric Laparoscopic Splenectomy
Won Woo Kim, M.D., Eung Kook Kim, M.D., Young Tack Song, M.D.
Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea
Pediatric laparoscopic splenectomy has been gradually accepted as the surgical management of a various splenic disorders, particularly in hematologic diseases. We report our experience with 16 patients who underwent this procedure because of hematologic disorders during the past 3 and a half years at the Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Hospital, the Catholic University Medical College. The mean age was 10 years(range 6-16 years) and the mean spleen weight was 210 gm(range 85- 500 g). The indication for splenectomy were hereditary spherocytosis(6 cases), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(8 cases), autoimmune hemolytic anemia(1 case), and idiopathic splenomegaly(1 case). All splenectomies were performed safely with mean estimated blood loss of 233 ml. Mean operative time and mean postoperative hospital stay were 157 min and 4.5 days, respectively. Postoperative pain ,medication was needed in 3 cases, just one injection in immediate postoperative period. Diet was started on the second or third postoperative day. In conclusion, laparoscopic splenectomy in pediatric patients is a safe procedure, offering a small of abdominal scar, much less pain, a shorter hospital stay and car the lower postoperative morbidity.
Index Words: Pediatric, Laparoscopic splenectom.y
Corresspondence; Won Woo Kim, M.D., Department of Sur- gery, St. Mary's Hospital, the Catholic University of Korea.
62 Yoido-dollf?, YOUI1f?dul1f?po-Ku, Seoul 150-713, Korea
pathic thrombocytopenic purpura(lTP), hereditary spherocytosis, thalassemia
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Table 1. Patient Charateristics and Diagnoses Mean age (yr)
Mean spleen weight(gm) Diagnoses (cases)
ITP
hereditary spherocytosis autoimmune hemolytic anemia idiopatric splenomegaly
* Values in parentheses are ranges.
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Table 2. Intraoperative and Postoperative Outcomes Estimated blood loss(ml)
Operative time(min) splenectomy
splenectomy + cholecystectomy Postoperatie hospital stay (day)
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285 4.5(3-7)*
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~91~ 7a·+~· -'t-~ .;;-~:§} ~.liPJ7cJ-6}
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