Laparoscopic versus open surgery for the repair of congenital duodenal obstructions in infants and children.

Despite a longer operative time for LCDO, a number of advantages of LCDO over OCDO were recognized comparing both approaches in the repair of congenital duodenal obstruction. Such advantages include a lower morbidity, reduced time to initiation and completion of full enteral feeds, and shorter length of postoperative hospitalization for patients without concomitant cardiac anomalies and for patients without other anomalies when operated laparoscopic. In view of the present results, LCDO, performed in selected patients, appears to represent a viable alternative to OCDO.