Postoperative Complications in Laparoscopic Surgery in Ouagadougou

The expansion of indications for laparoscopic surgery is associated by an increase in morbidity that must be evaluated. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the postoperative complications of laparoscopic surgery in Ouagadougou.

A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study conducted over a 5-year period. All patients aged 15 years and older who underwent laparoscopic surgery in the general surgery departments of four health care facilities in Ouagadougou and who experienced postoperative complications were included.

Complications were recorded in 38 cases, representing 2.8% of the 1,377 laparoscopic surgical procedures performed. The study included 23 women and 15 men with a mean age of 42.6 years, and a male-to-female ratio of 0.68. The procedure was performed as an emergency in 65.8% of cases, and the most frequent indication for surgery was acute appendicitis (12 cases). The mean time to onset of complication was 2.5 days. The complication was surgical site infection in 71.9% of cases. There was no mortality. The mean length of hospital stay was 9.5 days.

Despite the current reported complications, especially infectious ones, laparoscopic surgery remains a preferred and recommended method in general surgery in Burkina Faso. Infection prevention measures must be strengthened to reduce this avoidable morbidity.