[Laparoscopic appendectomy: retrospective studies of 172 consecutive procedures]

The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic appendectomy, as performed by experienced and trainee surgeons in a Unit of General Surgery. From June 1997 to May 2002, 172 patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy. Age below 13 years was an exclusion criterion. There was no single protocol for the diagnosis and surgical technique adopted by the different surgeons. The average operating time was 65.3 min (range: 41-106 min). There were 9 conversions to open surgery (5.2%) and 9 postoperative complications (5.5%) out of a total of 162 patients undergoing the laparoscopic procedure. Oral intake was resumed on post-operative day 2 and the average hospital stay was 3.4 days (range: 3-5 days). In conclusion, laparoscopic appendectomy proved to be safe and effective, even when performed by surgeons with only limited experience of minimally invasive surgery.