To explore the impact of transumbilical single-port laparoscopic appendectomy and conventional laparoscopic appendectomy on perioperative indicators and postoperative complications in children with appendicitis.

A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of children with acute appendicitis admitted from September 2021 to December 2024. Confounding factors such as gender, age, and time from onset to surgery were excluded by propensity score matching. Sixty children who underwent conventional laparoscopic appendectomy were set as the control group, and 60 children who underwent transumbilical single-port laparoscopic appendectomy were set as the study group. Data were processed and analyzed using SPSS 23.0 software, with normality tests conducted. Measurement data conforming to normal distribution were expressed as (±s), and independent sample t tests were used for intergroup comparisons; gender and adverse reaction data were expressed as [cases (%)], and χ² tests were performed (Fisher’s exact test was used when the theoretical frequency <5); data not conforming to normal distribution were logarithmically transformed. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Compared with the control group, the study group had longer operation time, but shorter incision length, first exhaust time after surgery, first feeding time after surgery, and first defecation time after surgery (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, or incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (P>0.05). Three days after surgery, the levels of procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) increased in both groups, but were lower in the study group than in the control group (P<0.05). After 2 months of follow-up, the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) score of the study group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05).

Compared with conventional laparoscopic appendectomy, transumbilical single-port laparoscopic appendectomy, despite being more difficult and time-consuming, can effectively reduce surgical trauma, accelerate postoperative intestinal function recovery, alleviate inflammatory response, and demonstrate good safety.