Laparoscopic Appendectomy: A Safe and Definitive Solution for Suspected Appendicitis.

Area of Science:

• Surgical outcomes
• Appendicitis treatment
• Minimally invasive surgery

Background:

• Conservative antibiotic treatment for appendicitis may not definitively resolve the condition.
• Laparoscopic appendectomy presents a competitive alternative for managing appendicitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the trends and outcomes of laparoscopic appendectomy for appendicitis over a 15-year period.
• To compare surgical morbidity and hospital stay between different time periods and surgical techniques.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1,956 appendectomy cases for suspected appendicitis over 15 years.
• Categorization of cases into three 5-year periods to assess changes over time.
• Evaluation of surgical technique (open, laparoscopic, converted), perforation rates, and surgical morbidity.

Main Results:

• Laparoscopic surgery increased from 83.3% to 98.3% over the study period.
• Postoperative hospital stay decreased significantly for both non-perforated and perforated cases.
• Surgical morbidity reduced from 4.1% to 1.7%, with no surgical site infections in the last 5 years.

Conclusions:

• Laparoscopic appendectomy for suspected appendicitis is associated with exceptionally low morbidity.
• This surgical approach provides a safe and definitive solution for appendicitis, superior to conservative antibiotic treatment.