Laparoscopic Versus Open Surgery for Suspected Appendicitis

Abstract

Background: Laparoscopic appendectomy has mostly replaced open surgery. Appendectomy, or surgical removal of the appendix, is one of the most common operations performed by a specialized surgeon and is used to teach the fundamentals of laparoscopy-first by observing and then performing the procedure independently. Aim of the work: This study compared laparoscopic and open surgery for suspected appendicitis. Methods: A total of 200 individuals with probable appendicitis participated in this prospective randomized clinical study. All patients over the age of 18 who had a clinical diagnosis of appendicitis were randomly randomized to either open appendectomy (OA) or laparoscopic appendectomy (LA). First prophylactic antimicrobial treatment was administered intravenously. Supine posture and general anesthesia were provided to all patients. After the operation, we followed up for complications and survival. Results: The operating time in laparoscopic patients was significantly greater. However, blood loss was substantially lower. The need for analgesics was substantially reduced in the laparoscopic group. There was a substantial difference between included patients in both groups in terms of postoperative stay length, time to return to work/normal activities, and the incidence of postoperative complications. In terms of survival time or complication incidence, there was no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: Despite the longer operational time, LA has a favorable hands-on OA in terms of blood loss, length of postoperative stay, time to return to work/normal activities, and the incidence of postoperative problems. In terms of survival time and complication incidence, there was no significant difference.