Publication:

Laparoscopic versus open appendicectomy: a comparative study

Background Acute appendicitis is one of the common emergency surgical problems that usually we encounters. Since its introduction by McBurney in 1894, appendicectomy has been the treatment of choice for acute appendicitis. Since its initial description by Semm in 19834, Laparoscopic appendicectomy (LA) has struggled to prove its superiority over the open technique. The advantages of LA over open appendicectomy (OA) are thought to be less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay and early return to usual activity. While the incidence of postoperative wound infection is thought to be lower after the laparoscopic technique. There is however notions showing only minimal benefit from laparoscopic appendicectomy, with higher cost of this method. Though multiple prospective randomized trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews have been conducted to assess the value of LA over OA, the heterogeneity of the measured variables and other weaknesses in methodology have not allowed drawing definitive conclusions and generalizations.

Methods It is a prospective study comparing the advantage of laparoscopic over open appendicectomy.

Results The mean duration of hospital stay in both the study groups (OA and LA) 3.5 and 3.4 respectively. There was no significant return of bowel sounds, return to normal activity and surgical site infection. But cost for to be high with laparoscopic appendicectomy.

Conclusions There was no advantage of laparoscopic appendicectomy over open appendicectomy in terms of return of bowel sounds, return to normal activity and surgical site infection. But cost for to be high with lap appendectomy. To conclude, LA has no definite advantages over OA as per results of my study.