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Comparison of laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy with intracorporal laparoscopic appendectomy and open appendectomy
1Department of General Surgery, York Hospital, York, PA 17405, USA.
Background:
A laparoscopic appendectomy is associated with less postoperative pain and a shorter postoperative stay than the open technique. However, the open technique is faster and less expensive than the completely laparoscopic method. A laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy has the advantages of both the laparoscopic and open techniques.
Methods:
A retrospective study involving 83 patients was performed comparing the three different techniques. The comparison studied operating time, surgical expense, and postoperative stay.
Results:
The completely laparoscopic method was performed on 24 patients with an average surgical time of 88.9 minutes, average charges of $604, and average postoperative stay of 2.6 days. The open technique was performed on 26 patients with a surgical time of 77.1 minutes, charges of $42, and a postoperative stay of 2.4 days. The laparoscopic-assisted technique was performed on 33 patients with a surgical time of 70.3 minutes, charges of $208, and a postoperative stay of 1.8 days.
Conclusion:
The laparoscopic-assisted method of appendix removal can be performed as efficiently as the open technique but at <67% of the cost of the complete laparoscopic method. The postoperative stay is shorter for the laparoscopic-assisted technique than for the open technique. Thus, the laparoscopic-assisted technique is a cost-effective method for removing the appendix.