[Laparoscopic appendectomy. Results and complications]

Thirty-four patients (23 females and 11 males) aged 13-71 years had acute appendicitis on both clinical and laparoscopic evaluation. Twenty-eight patients (82%) were treated laparoscopically whereas conversion to open appendectomy was necessary in six patients. Operation time for laparoscopic appendectomy ranged from 25-90 min. (mean 58 min.), and the patients were discharged 1-14 days after the operation (mean 2.8 days). Five patients developed complications, wound infection in one case, intraperitoneal infectious complications in three cases and postoperative fever in one case. Mean convalescence was two weeks. All patients were satisfied with the performed procedure and the cosmetic result and all were doing well one month after the operation, except for one patient who had pain in the right iliac fossa. The initial results of laparoscopic appendectomy are promising.