Laparoscopic Appendectomy Translates into Less Analgesics and Faster Return to Work in Asia.

Area of Science:

• Surgery
• Gastroenterology
• Minimally Invasive Procedures

Background:

• Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is associated with reduced analgesic requirements and faster return to work.
• This study investigates these benefits in Asian patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the outcomes of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) versus open appendectomy (OA) in Asian patients.
• To evaluate postoperative pain, length of stay (LOS), duration of analgesia, and hospitalization leave (HL).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective audit of emergency appendectomies over one year.
• Telephone questionnaire for post-discharge assessment of analgesic intake, symptoms, HL adequacy, and teleconsultation acceptance.

Main Results:

• Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) patients experienced significantly shorter presurgery symptoms and LOS compared to open appendectomy (OA).
• LA patients reported less pain, though prescribed the same duration of analgesics as OA.
• Hospitalization leave (HL) was shorter for LA, with most patients not completing prescribed analgesics and finding HL adequate.

Conclusions:

• The majority of LA patients do not require two weeks of analgesics, allowing for shortened HL and faster return to work.
• Teleconsultation can be offered to selected patients postoperatively.
• Minimally invasive surgery benefits are realized through optimized analgesic duration and HL.