Appendiceal stump closure using LigaSureTM alone in laparoscopic appendectomy in children: ıs it safe and feasible?

Background Appendiceal stump closure is a crucial step in laparoscopic appendectomy (LA). This study aims to evaluate the LigaSure TM Vessel Sealing System in laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) for sealing the base of the appendix in children . Materials and methods A prospective review of the author's clinical experience with appendiceal stump closure with the LigaSure TM (Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN) in LA under 18 years old was performed from May 2021 to June 2022. Demographic information, surgical findings, oral feeding times, pathology results, hospital stay, and postoperative complications were evaluated retrospectively. Results In 31 patients, LA was performed using only LigaSure TM , and the appendix stump was sealed and cut by this device. Out of 31 patients (19 boys and 12 girls), no complications occured in 30 patients. The mean age of the patients and standard deviation (SD) were 12.64 ± 3.12 years. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 1.2 ± 0.4 days (1–2 days), except for two patients with postoperative abscess and fever. Conclusion This study demonstrated the efficacy of LA using LigaSure TM system, from the separation of the mesoappendix to stump closure.