Laparoscopy represents a major advancement in pediatric surgery, allowing a significant reduction in postoperative morbidity and faster recovery. However, its implementation in low-resource countries continues to face major material and training constraints. To describe the initial experience of laparoscopy in pediatric surgery at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala and to analyze factors associated with postoperative outcomes.

Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted from January 2024 to March 2025 in the pediatric surgery department of Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. Included were children aged ≥ 8 years who underwent laparoscopic surgery for a condition considered laparoscopically curable. Ethical considerations were respected, with written informed consent obtained from parents or legal guardians, and ethical authorization provided by the hospital institution. Statistical analyses used Chi-square, Fisher, Mann–Whitney, or Kruskal–Wallis tests, with significance set at p < 0.05. Thirty-nine patients were included, with a mean age of 11.9 ± 2.1 years and a slight male predominance. Appendicular conditions were the main indication. The time to management was significantly associated with the length of postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.014). Postoperative outcomes were uncomplicated in the majority of cases.