[Minimally invasive paediatric surgery in other than paediatric surgical departments].

Minimally invasive techniques are well established in numerous paediatric surgical departments. They are safely applied to children of all age groups. Numerous types of procedures have been established specifically for children and, therefore, the necessary expertise cannot be derived from general surgical experience. Advantages in postoperative symptoms, convalescence and cosmesis have been confirmed. However, data or recommendations concerning the use outside of centres of paediatric surgery are lacking. In the opinion of the authors, minimally invasive paediatric surgery should only be considered for departments with a volume of paediatric specialty operations similar to that of paediatric surgical centres. In addition, an adequate number of operations, specific expertise of the surgeons in minimally invasive paediatric surgery, and specific expertise of anaesthesiologists is mandatory. Today, these prerequisites can only be assumed for non-paediatric specialty operations, such as laparoscopic appendectomy. In conclusion, before recommendations can be made for minimally invasive techniques in specialty paediatric operations outside of paediatric surgical centres, the feasibility and safety under these conditions has to be investigated.