Laparoscopic Appendectomy versus Open Surgery

Area of Science:

• General Surgery
• Gastrointestinal Surgery

Background:

• Acute appendicitis is a common cause of emergency department visits.
• Open appendectomy, described in 1894, and laparoscopic appendectomy, first performed in 1983, are surgical treatments.
• Comparing outcomes of both procedures is crucial for clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the outcomes of open versus laparoscopic appendectomy.
• To analyze patient data from a single center over a decade.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 627 patients undergoing appendectomy between 2014 and 2023.
• Data collected included sociodemographics, operation duration, hospital stay, and complication rates.
• Comparison between open appendectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy groups.

Main Results:

• Laparoscopic appendectomy (298 patients) and open appendectomy (329 patients) showed no significant differences in age, sex, ASA score, operation duration, or pathology.
• Open appendectomy group had a significantly longer hospital stay (P=.001).
• Complication rates were significantly higher in the open appendectomy group (P=.046).

Conclusions:

• Laparoscopic appendectomy is associated with shorter hospital stays and lower complication rates.
• Laparoscopic appendectomy offers comparable safety to open appendectomy.
• Laparoscopic surgery is recommended for suspected appendicitis due to potential advantages in assessing intra-abdominal pathologies.