Abstract

Aim: Cholelithiasis is less frequently seen in children relative to adults. Recently, the number of children with cholelithiasis is increasing and generally no etiologic factor can be detected. In this study, patients with cholelithiasis who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy were analyzed.

Material and Method: Medical records of the children who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy between January 2010 and May 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. With respect to their demographic characteristics, ultrasonographic findings, etiologic factors and complications.

Results: During the time interval stated above, 42 children underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy because of cholelithiasis. Twenty-four of the patients were girls and eighteen were boys. Mean age was 14 (3-17 years)years. Preoperative ultrasonography revealed a single stone in eight patients’ and multiple small stones in 34 patients’ gallbladders. As etiologic factors; three patients had thalassemia, two patients hypercholesterolemia, one patient hereditery spherocytosis and one patient glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Among other 35 patients no etiologic factor was detected other than overweightness in 12 patients. Besides cholelithiasis developed in two patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity. All the patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In one patient, convertion to open cholecystectomy was necessary because of technical difficulties. One patient required Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy because of peroperative common bile duct injury. No death encountered. Long term follow-up was uneventful in all patient.

Conclusion: Frequency of cholelithiasis is increasing gradually during childhood. Dietary habits, and overweight appears to be as a major etiologic factor. Similar to adult patients, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe surgical option in children with cholelithiasis.