Laparoscopic vs open appendectomy. Prospective randomized study of outcomes

Area of Science:

• General Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

• Appendicitis is a common surgical emergency.
• Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is increasingly used, but its benefits over open appendectomy (OA) require evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare open appendectomy (OA) with laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) regarding operative time, complications, pain, hospitalization, recovery, and costs.

Main Methods:

• Prospective randomized clinical trial involving patients aged 12 years and older with acute appendicitis.
• Patients were randomized to either OA or LA at a tertiary urban teaching hospital.
• Outcomes measured included operative length, complications, pain control, hospitalization, recovery time, and hospital charges.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in hospitalization length, pain control, recovery time, or complication rates between OA and LA.
• Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) had a longer operative time (81.7 vs 66.8 minutes) and higher operating room and total hospital charges compared to open appendectomy (OA).
• Demographics were similar between the 27 LA patients and 23 OA patients.

Conclusions:

• Both open appendectomy (OA) and laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) are comparable in terms of patient outcomes like complications, pain, hospitalization, and recovery.
• Open appendectomy (OA) demonstrated advantages with shorter operative times and reduced hospital charges.
• For routine acute appendicitis, laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) does not currently offer proven benefits over the open approach.