Laparoscopic-assisted Procedure Research Articles

Emergency Laparoscopic‐assisted versus Open Right Hemicolectomy for Obstructing Right‐sided Colonic Carcinoma: A Comparative Study of Short‐term Clinical Outcomes

The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical outcomes of emergency laparoscopic-assisted versus open right hemicolectomy for obstructing right-sided colonic carcinoma. Between July 2003 and July 2006, 43 consecutive patients with obstructing right-sided colonic carcinoma underwent emergency right hemicolectomy at our institution, 14 with the laparoscopic-assisted approach and 29 with the open approach. Clinical data were retrospectively recorded and compared between the two groups. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to age, gender, co-morbidities, duration of obstructing symptoms, tumor length, and tumor staging. The laparoscopic-assisted group had longer operative time than the open group (187.5 min versus 145 min; p=0.034) but less blood loss (20 ml versus 100 ml; p=0.020). The median time to full ambulation was significantly shorter in the laparoscopic-assisted group (4 days versus 6 days; p=0.016), but the time to return of gastrointestinal function and the duration of hospital stay were similar between the two groups. More patients in the open group developed postoperative complications (55.2% versus 28.6%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Emergency laparoscopic-assisted right hemicolectomy for obstructing right-sided colonic carcinoma is feasible and safe. In comparison with the open approach, the laparoscopic-assisted procedure is associated with less blood loss, earlier ambulation, and possibly lower morbidity rate.

Primary Pull-Through for Hirschsprung's Disease: Comparison of Open and Laparoscopic-Assisted Procedures

Rectosigmoid Hirschsprung's disease is usually amenable to minimally invasive primary neonatal pull-through. This may be performed either entirely transanally or with laparoscopic assistance for biopsies with or without colonic mobilization. In our center, all dissection is performed transanally; laparoscopy is used for obtaining colonic biopsies and orientation of the pulled-through bowel segment. In this paper, we describe our initial experience of a consecutive cohort of 20 one-stage laparoscopic-assisted endorectal pull-through (LAEPT) procedures. A historic consecutive cohort of 22 infants who underwent the same open endorectal pull-through (OPT) with open transabdominal mobilization was used for comparison. Age at operation and mean theater time were not significantly different. The mean postoperative stay was significantly reduced in the laparoscopic group (LAEPT 3.8 days vs. OPT 9.5 days; P = 0.0002). Readmission and enterocolitis rates in the first postoperative year did not differ significantly. LAEPT permits early intraoperative biopsies with a visualization of the pull-through to prevent twisting of the bowel.

Parasitic peritoneal leiomyomatosis diagnosed 6 years after laparoscopic myomectomy with electric tissue morcellation: Report of a case and review of the literature

A 33-year-old woman, gravid 2 para 2, underwent laparoscopic myomectomy with electric tissue morcellation for intraligamental myoma. Six years later, asymptomatic pelvic tumor was found during a routine checkup. Under laparoscopic observation, multiple soft tumors were detected in the peritoneal cavity and these tumors were successfully excised by a laparoscopic-assisted procedure. Pathological examination demonstrated that these tumors were progesterone receptor-positive leiomyomas that were almost identical histologically to the myoma tissue excised 6 years earlier.

Pharmacokinetics of Oxaliplatin During Open Versus Laparoscopically Assisted Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC): An Experimental Study

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is being evaluated for patients with minimal residual or no residual disease after primary surgery and chemotherapy for stage III ovarian carcinoma. The technical feasibility of the laparoscopic approach for HIPEC has been demonstrated in a previous study. An experimental study on the porcine model was carried out to compare oxaliplatin pharmacokinetics during a laparoscopic-assisted procedure versus the coliseum technique for HIPEC. Adult pigs received an HIPEC procedure that was based on 460 mg/m(2) of oxaliplatin over 30 minutes with a perfusate heated at 41 degrees C to 43 degrees C. The HIPEC drains were placed in the upper and lower quadrants of the abdomen. Peritoneal fluid and blood samples were collected every 10 minutes during the procedure, and the pharmacokinetics of oxaliplatin was studied. Two groups of 10 adult pigs were studied. All the procedures were successfully completed with an adequate intra-abdominal temperature and distribution. No major technical problems were encountered. At the end of the HIPEC, 41.5% of the molecule was absorbed in the laparoscopic group compared with 33.4% in the laparotomy group (P = .0543). Peritoneal oxaliplatin half-life (T((1/2))) was significantly faster in the laparoscopic procedure (median, 37.5 vs. 59.3 minutes, P = .02). The area under the curve ratio of peritoneal to plasma reflects a more important oxaliplatin crossing through the peritoneal barrier in the laparoscopic procedure (ratio, 16.4 in the closed procedure vs. 28.1 in the open one; P = .03). This study confirms the technical feasibility and reliability of the laparoscopic approach for HIPEC, and it extends knowledge concerning peritoneal drug absorption. Oxaliplatin absorption is far higher with laparoscopy in terms of time course in peritoneal perfusion. Clinical application in selected patients may be expected after further experimental investigation designed to define the adequate drug dosage.

Laparoscopic Treatment of Bezoar-induced Small Bowel Obstruction: Report of a Case

Treatment of bezoar-induced intestinal obstruction is usually performed by an open approach, with either digital fragmentation or removal of the bezoar via enterotomy. Laparoscopy is gaining increased acceptance for diagnosis and treatment of selected cases of small bowel obstruction. We describe a 77-year-old male patient with small bowel obstruction, and the cause of intestinal obstruction was proved by diagnostic laparoscopy to be a bezoar, which was fragmented and milked into the colon smoothly with laparoscopic instruments. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged from the hospital 4 days later after the procedure. A review of the literature shows that laparoscopic management is an alternative to conventional surgery, either by a totally laparoscopic approach or a laparoscopic-assisted procedure. Minimally invasive surgery is not only an excellent diagnostic tool for bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction, but also in some selected cases, a choice of treatment.

One-Trocar Transumbilical Laparoscopic-Assisted Management of Meckel's Diverticulum in Children

Transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted intestinal surgery using only "one trocar" is a very minimal invasive procedure. The authors present their experience for the management of Meckel's diverticulum. Between January 2001 and December 2004, 9 transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted procedures were performed for Meckel's diverticulum. The median age of the patients was 6.1 years (range, 6 months-13.6 years). Six patients were admitted for intestinal bleeding and technetium-99m pertechnetate scan was positive in 3. Three patients had recurrent abdominal pain and abdominal ultrasound scan showed a cystlike structure. An intraumbilical Hasson 10-mm trocar was inserted in an open fashion. Using a 10-mm operative laparoscope, the terminal ileum was grasped with an atraumatic instrument and exteriorized through the umbilicus. Ileal exploration and treatment were performed extracorporeally. Meckel's diverticulum was identified in 8 patients and ileal duplication in 1 patient: intestinal resection/anastomosis (n = 7) or excision of diverticulum (n = 2) was performed. There were no operative complications. Median hospital stay was 4 days (range, 3-7 days). At a median followup of 24 months (range, 3-51 months), all patients are asymptomatic. Our results indicate that the one trocar transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted procedure is safe and effective for the diagnosis and treatment of Meckel's diverticulum, with excellent cosmetic results.

Peritoneal dialysis catheter placement—is laparoscopy an option?

Peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is the preferred and gentlest type of dialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). One of the most frequent complications following peritoneal dialysis catheter (P-catheter) placement is malfunction owing to displacement, which frequently entails major problems for the patient, including reoperation and the risk of having to switch to haemodialysis. Consequently, to ensure optimal P-catheter function and reduce patient morbidity, it is essential to develop and assess new surgical techniques for dialysis catheter placement. The objective of this survey is to describe and assess a laparoscopic-assisted procedure for P-catheter placement. Survey of laparoscopic-assisted P-catheter placements performed during a one-year period. The study describes the operative procedure, catheter function and complications. Furthermore, a comparison with open surgery performed in the period is made. One of nine P-catheters inserted using laparoscopic-assisted surgery under general anaesthesia was displaced while four of 13 P-catheters inserted using traditional open surgery under local anaesthesia were displaced. The five displaced catheters were subsequently fixed laparoscopically under general anaesthesia. Laparoscopic P-catheter placement is uncomplicated, quick and reduces P-catheter displacement frequency. Drawbacks include costly equipment and the need for general anaesthesia. Future follow-up will reveal whether laparoscopically placed P-catheters yield longer-lasting and better-functioning catheters than traditionally placed P-catheters.

Total Laparoscopic Aortic Surgery Versus Minimal Access Techniques: Review Of More Than 600 Patients

In the following paper we describe our experience with a large number of patients in which either a laparoscopic assisted procedure or a total laparoscopic operation was performed. From 1996 until 2005 a total number of 638 aortic patients were operated on using a total laparoscopic or a laparoscopic assisted approach. A total laparoscopic operation was accomplished in 236 cases. A laparoscopic assisted aortic operation was performed in 402 patients. In aneurysm patients a tube graft was more frequently implanted. Thirty-day mortality was significantly higher in patients with a total laparoscopic abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (3.0%) compared to a laparoscopic assisted procedure (1.8%). There was no significant difference in mortality in patients with occlusive disease and a total laparoscopic aortofemoral bypass versus a laparoscopically assisted operation. The same tendency could be observed when analyzing the incidence of major perioperative complications. Again we found no significant difference in patients with occlusive disease yet more severe complications directly related to the operation in patients with a total laparoscopic aneurysm repair. There was a significantly increased complication rate in total laparoscopic aortoiliac repair with a bifurcated prosthesis compared to a tube graft repair: a tendency we could not observe in aneurysm patients with a laparoscopic assisted operation. Our data also show that there is a lot of room for technical improvements such as stapling devices or special grafts to reduce total operating times as well as the period of aortic crossclamping. The routine use of a minilaparotomy can hardly be a solution considering the technical drawbacks such as impaired vision and long term complications like ventral hernias. Compared to open surgery the midterm results of laparoscopic aortic procedures are promising. The time has come to prove that good results can be obtained in more than a few specialized centers.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy for ectopic kidneys: Over, around, or through

Objectives The treatment of patients with complex urolithiasis in ectopic kidneys can be challenging. Because the location of an ectopic kidney can vary, each case requires a unique and, at times, unconventional approach. We reviewed the techniques we have developed to treat such patients, including laparoscopic-assisted tubeless, transhepatic, and transiliac percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL). Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients with congenital pelvic kidneys who underwent PNL at our institution. Six patients underwent laparoscopic-assisted PNL, one underwent transiliac PNL, and one underwent transhepatic PNL. All laparoscopic-assisted procedures were performed tubeless, with an internalized ureteral stent placed at the conclusion of the procedure. Results All patients underwent successful PNL. On computed tomography, performed on the morning of postoperative day 1, all patients who underwent laparoscopic-assisted PNL were stone free. The patients who underwent transiliac PNL and transhepatic PNL required secondary procedures to attain a stone-free status. The mean length of hospitalization was 3 days for the laparoscopic-assisted cohort, 1 day for the transhepatic patient, and 3 days for the transiliac patient. Conclusions For the patient with a large or complex stone burden in an ectopic kidney, laparoscopic-assisted PNL is the optimal treatment. Performing such a procedure tubeless may be associated with a reduced hospital stay. For those patients with a hostile peritoneal cavity owing to prior surgical exploration, consideration should be given to a more individualized approach.

Laparoscopic-assisted Colon and Rectal Surgery – Lessons Learnt from Early Experience

Introduction: Current evidence shows that laparoscopic bowel surgery is associated with a lower incidence of postoperative ileus, lower postoperative pulmonary and wound complication rates, shorter hospital stays and a quicker return to activity than open surgery. This paper aims to report our early experience with laparoscopic-assisted colorectal procedures in our Centre for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery and the important lessons we have learnt from this. Materials and Methods: All laparoscopic-assisted colon and rectal surgical (LAC) procedures performed between January 2000 and December 2003 were reviewed. Clinical and operative records of these patients were reviewed. Data retrieved included patient demographics, selected intra-operative parameters, and postoperative outcomes. In order to provide a comparable reference, an equal number of matched open procedures over the same period were accrued and similarly analysed. All patients were managed on a standard carepath. All data were entered into a database and analysed using a statistical software package. Results: Forty-two laparoscopic-assisted colorectal procedures were performed from June 2000 to December 2003. A similar number of diagnosis-matched patients with open colorectal procedures were used as comparison. The diagnoses included cancer (68.5% versus 73.8%), diverticulosis (5.7% versus 9.5%) and polyps (14.3% versus 9.5%). Seven were converted to open surgery because of bleeding, adhesions and locally advanced disease. Laparoscopic-assisted procedures performed included 1 right hemicolectomy, 5 left hemicolectomies, 9 anterior resections, 1 abdominal-perineal resection, 3 sigmoid colectomies, 11 colostomies and 1 Hartmann’s procedure. Mean perioperative time (146 min versus 125 min, P = 0.173) was comparatively longer. Mean duration for analgesic requirement (2.25 days versus 2.64 days, P = 0.05), mean length of stay (5.31 days versus 9.07 days, P <0.05), mean time to commencement of diet (2.91 days versus 4.05 days, P <0.001) and mean time to first bowel movement (2.57 days versus 4.10 days, P <0.001) were all comparatively shorter. General morbidity rates (17.1% versus 21.4%, P = 0.35) were lower. No local wound complications were found in our laparoscopic-assisted group. Patients who had undergone open surgery instead of the planned laparoscopic-assisted procedures fared more poorly. Conclusions: Laparoscopic-assisted colorectal procedures performed in well-selected patients are associated with shorter hospital stays, quicker return of bowel function and lower morbidity when compared to the matched open procedures. Early experience should be acquired from performing technically simple procedures in patients with benign conditions before progressing to definitive resections in those with cancer.

Laparoscopic colectomy for colon cancer: New answers, new questions

Laparoscopic colectomy for colon cancer: New answers, new questions

Laparoscopic-assisted Management of Small Bowel Obstruction Due to Phytobezoar

Laparoscopy is gaining increasing acceptance for diagnosis and treatment of selected cases of small bowel obstruction. We describe a laparoscopic-assisted procedure used for the treatment of small bowel obstruction caused by a bezoar. A 51-year-old man presented with acute small intestinal obstruction. He had no history of previous abdominal surgery. Diagnostic laparoscopy confirmed a distal ileal obstruction due to an enterolith (bezoar). A limited abdominal incision allowed enterotomy and removal of the obstructing bezoar. Gastroscopy performed a month later showed gastric bezoars which could not be removed endoscopically. Instead, cellulase, a hydrolytic enzyme, was used successfully to treat the condition.

Laparoscopic right hepatectomy: surgical technique.

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the safety of laparoscopic right hepatectomy for benign or malignant disease. Many reports document the success of minor or segmental liver resections performed laparoscopically. Major hepatic resection has rarely been reported. This report documents our experience with 12 laparoscopic right hepatectomies. Ten patients had suspected malignancy, but all had lesions well clear of the midplane of the liver. The surgery followed three distinct phases: (1). Portal dissection during which diathermy and harmonic shears are used, clips are applied to the right hepatic duct and right hepatic artery, and a vascular stapler is used to divide the right portal vein; (2). dissection of the vena cava, which is usually done by tunneling below the liver using harmonic shears, clips, and a linear stapler to divide the right hepatic vein; and (3). parenchymal division during which harmonic shears and multiple firings of linear staplers are used to divide the liver substance. In five patients the procedure was completed totally laparoscopically, five patients had a laparoscopic-assisted procedure, and two patients had to be converted to formal open hepatectomy. Four patients required blood transfusion. There were no deaths and two cases of major morbidity-bile leakage in one and wound dehiscence in one. The average hospital stay was 8 days, but for those whose operations were completed totally laparoscopically, 4 days was the average. Two of the nine patients with documented cancer have since died-one with widespread intrahepatic hepatocellular carcinoma and another with widespread metastatic melanoma after resection of a colorectal metastasis. Seven patients with colorectal cancer are alive and disease free with follow-up of 6 to 24 months. Laparoscopic right hepatectomy is feasible in selected patients. It is technically demanding but can be safely accomplished by surgeons who have experience in advanced laparoscopic procedures and open hepatic surgery.

Laparoscopic advances in general surgery.

ORIGINALLY DESCRIBED IN 1901, laparoscopy was used by gynecologists as a surgical approach throughout most of the 20th century. Its applicability to general surgery was popularized in 1987 when laparoscopic cholecystectomy was first performed. Subsequently, minimalaccess approaches have been used by general surgeons for multiple intraabdominal operations because of perceived reductions in patient discomfort and disability, shorter hospital stays, and more rapid return to work. Now the term minimally invasive surgery encompasses several variations on the purely laparoscopic approach. This general term can mean several different things including a pure laparoscopic approach (all incisions 1 cm), a hand-assisted approach in which access large enough to accommodate the surgeon’s hand is made to facilitate the procedure (largest incision, 6-8 cm), or a laparoscopic-assisted procedure, some of which is performed in the traditional open fashion (largest incision 4 cm). The approach used is based upon the training, experience, and skills of the surgeon as well as the pathologic process being treated. During its infancy, laparoscopic general surgery was portrayed by the news media as a panacea (minimally invasive or “Band-Aid surgery”), and the public demanded this surgical approach. Laparoscopic surgery, according to a 2000 report, has since been inserted into the fabric of modern surgery as a technological innovation, long before stringent performance of clinical trials. Only recently have investigators scientifically demonstrated the benefits, effectiveness, feasibility, and safety of laparoscopic procedures. We review the latest evidence-based literature and most recent developments in the minimally invasive approach to several intra-abdominal general surgical procedures.

Hysterectomy for Benign Lesions: What Is Left for the Abdominal Route?

The object of this study was to determine the indications for abdominal hysterectomy and their complications, in a prospective series of 453 hysterectomies for benign lesions that were performed between April 4, 1996 and December 14, 1998 in the authors' institution. Most of hysterectomies were vaginal (72.85%) or laparoscopic-assisted (15.67%) procedures. Ten of them had to be converted to abdominal procedures because of extensive adhesions or limited vaginal access. The vaginal route was used whenever possible. The authors' most important selection criteria are of the weight uterus (estimated on scan), vaginal access (estimated by clinic examination preoperatively and intraoperatively), and pelvic surgery history of the patient. The abdominal route was selected when either vaginal or laparoscopic-assisted procedures proved impossible to be performed, the operating time was longer (130 minutes), intraoperative bleeding was higher (504 mL), and the mean hospital stay was 6.4 days. The perioperative complications, including bladder and small intestine lesions or hemorrhages, were 11.5%. The mean uterus weight was 612 g. The authors noted 11.9% postoperative complications. Laparotomies (11.47%) still proved necessary in cases of prior abdominal or pelvic surgery with large uterus volume and/or poor vaginal access. The laparotomy rate decreased with experience, but this study evidenced several technical difficulties inherent in the abdominal procedure as well as a higher number of intraoperative and postoperative complications that had to be dealt with by skilled operators.

Laparoscopy in Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Cancer

Laparoscopic techniques can be used for diagnosis, staging, and therapeutic procedures, both palliative or curative. Laparoscopy needs to be used in the context of algorithms of evaluation and management that consider the natural history and biology of the diseases at stake, concepts of evidence-based decisions, cost-effectiveness, quality of life, expertise available, and the philosophy of involved institutions. Accurate staging facilitates the selection of patients for resection, for neoadjuvant therapy, and selective planning for best palliation. The therapeutic role of advanced laparoscopic or laparoscopic assisted procedures is likely to increase (biliary bypass, gastro-jejunostomy, liver resections, cryosurgery, radiofrequency ablation, etc.). The place of laparoscopy in staging and treatment, however, has to be critically and continuously reviewed in the context of new developments in diagnostic imaging techniques, endoscopic procedures, and advances in oncology.

Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Analysis of the First 237 Cases

This study was made to prospectively assess the results of our first 237 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic or laparoscopic-assisted colorectal procedures. Between May 1995 and July 1999, two hundred thirty seven laparoscopic (assisted) colorectal procedures were performed : 97 sigmoidectomies, 31 right hemicolectomies, 26 rectosigmoidectomies, 23 abdominoperineal rectum amputations and 60 other procedures. The following parameters were recorded and analysed : patients gender, age, diagnosis, procedure, conversion to open surgery, peroperative and postoperative complications, duration of procedure, mortality and length ol hospitalization. There were 104 men (44%) and 133 women (56%) with a mean age of 62 years. Hundred and fifty-one operations were performed for benign indications (diverticular disease (51,6%), benign colonic polyps (17,5%) and others (30,9%)) and 86 for cancer (palliative and curative). The conversion rate was 4%. Postoperative complications occurred in 65 patients (27%). In 20% of these cases re-operation was necessary. The most common cause was bowel obstruction. Surgery lasted an average of 110 minutes. Mean overall hospital stay was 11 days. Sixty per cent left the hospital within eight days after operation. The 60-day mortality rate was 2,9%.The feasibility and safety of laparoscopic colorectal surgery has been established in a variety of procedures for different indications. Care must be taken in the case of acute diverticulitis which in our series is associated with higher minor and major complication rate and conversion rate. Although our results for malign cases are good, the definitive incidence of neither port-site metastasis nor local recurrence is known and no long-term results after laparoscopic surgery for carcinoma are available, we believe that curative procedures for cancer should continue to be carried out only within the framework of prospective studies unless the patient is more than 75-year old, is in bad general condition or when a palliative procedure has to be performed.

Laparoscopic-assisted Hartmann's reversal with the Dexterity Pneumo Sleeve.

Several laparoscopic techniques of Hartmann reversal have been published. An alternative laparoscopic-assisted procedure, essentially aseptic, which uses the minilaparotomy for colostomy mobilization to apply the Dexterity Pneumo Sleeve device is described. This technique combines the advantages of the minimally-invasive approach with the direct access of the surgeon's hand to the patient's abdomen.

The role of conversion in laparoscopic colorectal surgery: Do predictive factors exist?

This study was performed to analyze the reasons for conversion of laparoscopic colorectal procedures to open surgery and to identify risk factors. All patients who underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery at our institution were enrolled in a prospective trial. The causes of conversion were analyzed. Statistical analysis, including a logistic regression model, was performed to identify factors that would predict an increased risk of conversion. A total of 300 laparoscopic or laparoscopic-assisted procedures for both benign and malignant diseases were performed within 5 years. Mean patient age was 61.4 years (range, 17-93). There were 218 women and 82 men. Major complications occurred in 8.6%, and 30-day-mortality rate was 1.1%. Postoperative hospitalization was 13.9 days (range, 6-47). Conversion occurred in 22 cases (7.3%). The mean age of the converted group was 64.7 years (range, 31-93). Postoperative hospital stay was 15.0 days (range, 10-25). The main reasons for conversion to open surgery were inflammation, obesity, anesthetic problems, technical difficulties, intraoperative complications, and intraoperative decisions concerning oncological resection. The conversion rate was 14.6% in patients who underwent sigmoid resection for diverticular disease. By univariate analysis, statistically significant factors defining a higher risk of conversion were male gender (p = 0.0029), age from 55 to 64 years (p = 0.0015), extreme body status (p = 0.0001), and diagnosis of diverticular disease (p = 0.0011). According to the logistic regression model, all four factors combined would give a probability of conversion of 70.3%. The risk factors contributing to the possibility of conversion included male gender, age between 55 and 64 years, extreme body status, and diverticular disease. Using these data, patients with an increased likelihood of conversion can be identified. However, if conversion is necessary, laparoscopic colorectal surgery can be safely applied to the patients with no additional morbidity.

LAPAROSCOPIC ASSISTED RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

Purpose We describe the use of laparoscopy to assist in performing complex pediatric reconstructive cases with the goals of improved cosmesis, and limited postoperative morbidity and adhesion formation. Materials and Methods Eight patients a mean age of 13.4 years underwent 8 laparoscopic assisted reconstructive procedures at our institution from June 1995 to February 1998. The group consisted of 5 patients with spina bifida, 1 with sacral agenesis, 1 with classic bladder exstrophy and 1 with bladder dysfunction secondary to posterior urethral valves. Information was obtained via personal communication and review of the hospital records. Results Eight successful laparoscopic assisted procedures were performed, including bladder augmentation and an appendiceal Mitrofanoff procedure in 4 cases as well as tapered ileal Mitrofanoff and Malone antegrade continence enema procedures in 1, and bladder augmentation, appendiceal Mitrofanoff and antegrade continence enema procedure, gastrocystoplasty removal, ileal augmentation and an appendiceal Mitrofanoff procedure, and an antegrade continence enema procedure in 1 each. The laparoscopic component of these operations included extensive mobilization of the right colon in all patients and complete appendiceal harvesting in 2. Reconstruction was then completed through a Pfannenstiel incision in 4 patients, previous low midline scar in 2 and a small midline incision in 2. Drains were placed via existing trocar sites and open incisions were carried through other sites whenever possible. Continent stomas were matured through a trocar site in all 8 cases. Final cosmesis was excellent. Operative time was comparable to that of similar open procedures and intraoperative blood loss was minimal. Conclusions Laparoscopy may be used as a successful adjunct in complex pediatric reconstructive procedures to minimize disfiguring and morbid upper abdominal incisions, and decrease the risk of future adhesions.