Surgical site infection after open and laparoscopic surgery in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most common healthcare-associated infections in patients undergoing surgery. Various randomised control trials (RCTs) indicate that laparoscopic procedures can be associated with better outcomes compared to open procedures. However, how open versus laparoscopic approaches compare across various paediatric procedures with respect to SSI rate remains poorly defined. In this review, we examined RCTs that directly compare SSI rates after open versus laparoscopic operations for appendicitis, gastro-esophageal reflux, inguinal hernia, and pyloric stenosis. MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for RCTs comparing four types of open versus laparoscopic operations in children. The operations included appendectomy, fundoplication for gastro-esophageal reflux, inguinal hernia repair, or pyloromyotomy. 364 records were identified and screened, 54 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 17 RCTs were included in the analysis. SSI rate was the primary outcome. Operative time and length of stay (LOS) were the secondary outcomes. A meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 software. Laparoscopic appendectomy had a lower SSI rate than open appendectomy (odds ratio of 2.22 [1.19, 4.15] p = 0.01). Laparoscopic fundoplication for gastro-esophageal reflux, inguinal hernia repair, or pyloromyotomy for pyloric stenosis were not associated with lower SSI rate compared to open surgery. Operative time was shorter in open fundoplication (- 71.22 min [- 89.79,  - 52.65] p < 0.00001) than laparoscopic fundoplication. There was no significant difference in operative time of any of the other procedures. There was no significant difference in LOS between open and laparoscopic procedures for all types of operations analysed. Based on the findings of this review, it is recommended to utilise the laparoscopic approach over the open approach to reduce SSI risk in paediatric appendectomy.