An audit of laparoscopic surgeries in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

After several years of lagging behind due to several constraints, many general surgeons across Nigeria are now performing laparoscopic surgery. An audit of the procedure in our setting is required.

To describe the outcome of consecutive laparoscopic general surgical procedures performed at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, South-western Nigeria.

All patients with general surgical conditions who had laparoscopic surgery from January 2009 through May 2010 in our hospital were prospectively studied and type of pre, intra and postoperative data including sex, age, indication for surgery, and outcome of the procedure were obtained and analysed.

Sixty-two patients (ages 18 to 72 years) had laparoscopic surgeries within the study period. Eighteen (29%) patients had laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 13 (21%) had laparoscopic appendicectomy, 10 (16.1%) had laparoscopic adhesiolysis, 7 (11.3%) laparoscopic biopsies of intraabdominal masses while 14(22.6%) others had diagnostic laparoscopies for a range of suspected abdominal conditions. All diagnostic procedures were performed as day cases while the duration of hospital stay was one to two days for the therapeutic procedures. Two(3%) procedures, including a biopsy of hepatic mass and a cholecystectomy were converted to open surgery due to significant haemorrhage. A minor bile duct injury was recorded in one patient who had cholecystectomy and superficial port site wound infections were noticed in two patients who had appendectomy. No mortality was recorded.

Our results show the feasibility of laparoscopic surgery in Nigeria. We advocate local adaptation and improvisations to increase the use of laparoscopic surgery in Nigerian hospitals.