Laparoscopy in Pediatric Trauma: The Advancement of Minimally Invasive Techniques for Abdominal Trauma

摘要

Traumatic injuries are the leading cause of death for children in the United States aged 1-17 years old. Traditional management has dictated exploration via laparotomy or thoracotomy for those patients with identified injury or equivocal findings on imaging. These highly invasive procedures have been associated with worsened post-operative complications and higher use of health care resources without benefit in mortality when compared to minimally invasive approaches. Recently, laparoscopy and video-assisted thoracoscopy are gaining acceptance as initial interventions for hemodynamically stable injured children. Herein, we review the literature concerning the risks and benefits of minimally invasive approaches for pediatric penetrating and blunt trauma.