[Postoperative result in appendectomy with Pouchet technique versus other surgical techniques]

Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency worldwide. Closure of the appendiceal stump is a critical step to prevent postoperative complications.

To compare postoperative outcomes of appendectomy using the Pouchet technique versus other appendiceal stump closure techniques.

This retrospective study analyzed medical records of patients over 18 years of age who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis at a secondary-level hospital. Postoperative outcomes were assessed based on the presence of infectious complications, operative time, and length of hospital stay, comparing the surgical techniques used: Pouchet, Halsted, Zuckerman, and Parker. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, using the chi-square test to estimate differences in postoperative outcomes, with a significance level of ≤ 0.05.

A total of 118 medical records were analyzed, of which 70 corresponded to female patients (59.3%), with a median age of 39 years (interquartile range: 18-92 years). The most commonly used surgical techniques were: Pouchet (74 cases; 62.7%), Halsted (27; 22.8%), Zuckerman (12; 10.1%), and Parker (5; 4.2%). The Pouchet and Halsted techniques showed statistically significant differences compared to other techniques in terms of shorter operative time and hospital stay (p = 0.000 and p = 0.011, respectively). Additionally, the Pouchet and Parker techniques were associated with statistically significant differences in the incidence of infectious complications (p = 0.030).

The Pouchet technique demonstrated the best postoperative outcomes in terms of operative time, hospital stay duration, and lower incidence of infectious complications.