Outcome of Intra-Abdominal Drainage after Open Appendectomy for Complicated Appendicitis: A Randomized Controlled...

Area of Science:

• General Surgery
• Gastrointestinal Surgery

Background:

• Acute appendicitis is a frequent cause of acute abdomen requiring surgical intervention.
• Prophylactic intra-abdominal drainage is a common practice for complicated appendicitis, including gangrenous or perforated cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the safety and efficacy of intra-abdominal drainage versus no drainage following open appendectomy for complicated appendicitis.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled study involving 200 patients with complicated appendicitis.
• Patients were divided into two groups: one with intra-abdominal drainage and one without.
• Data on recovery, complications, and wound infections were collected and statistically analyzed.

Main Results:

• The non-drainage group returned to normal activities significantly faster (8.70±2.07 days) than the drainage group (10.46±2.87 days).
• Postoperative wound infection rates were substantially higher in the drainage group (21.0%) compared to the non-drainage group (9.0%) (p<0.05).
• Overall postoperative complications were less frequent in the non-drainage group.

Conclusions:

• Prophylactic intra-abdominal drainage in open appendectomy for complicated appendicitis is associated with increased wound infection rates and delayed recovery.
• The findings suggest that omitting prophylactic drainage may be a safer and more effective approach for selected cases.
• Reconsideration of routine prophylactic drainage in complicated appendicitis is warranted based on these results.