Laparoscopic appendectomy in the treatment of acute appendicitis.

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) has many advantages over the classic appendectomy (CA), but this method has not been accepted yet in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, we attempted controlled randomized study in order to compare classic appendectomy with laparoscopic appendectomy and confirm eventual advantages of caring base of appendix with hem-o-lok clips regarding ordinary accepted endoloop method during laparoscopic appendectomy. METHODS In this prospective study 120 patients were involved which are divided into two groups. In group 1, 60 patients were operated with classic method, and group II was divided into two subgroups; 30 patients were operated with laparoscopic method in which the base of appendix was cared by double endo-loop method and 30 patients were operated by plastic non-resorptive hem-o-lok clip. During this study the time duration of operation was measured, the duration of application of hem-o-lok and endo-loop, postoperative analgesia, the duration of hospitalization, intra-operative complications, anatomic position of appendix, appendicitis, and postoperative complications. RESULTS The results of the study showed that laparoscopic appendectomy is shorter in duration if compared to the classical appendectomy with statistical significance p < 0.001 (CA 69,4 min; LAH 36,6 min; LAE 37,1 min), hospitalization is shorter p < 0.0001 (CA 3,6 days; LAH 2,3 days; LAE 2,2 days). Quantity of given analgesics in LA is less than in CA without statistical significance between LAE and CA (p > 0.340) and between LAE and LAH (p > 0.148) while there is positive statistical significance between LAH and CA (p < 0.015). Precise period of cicatrization of wound of patients operated by CA was 43 (71.66%) cases, with infection of wound in 3(5%) cases, phlegm of wound in 2 (3.3%) cases, healing of wound per sekundam in 9 (15%) cases and ileus in one (1.6%) patient. One patient had an infection of umbilical wound in LA and the other had cellulitis of front abdominal wall. Duration of application of hem-o-lok is shorter compared to endo-loop with statistical significance p < 0.013 (LAH 68,2 s; LAE 176,9 s). CONCLUSION Time of surgery is shorter and the duration of hospitalization, amount of given analgesic is smaller, less number of postoperative complications, better cosmetic effect and advantages of application of hem-o-lok over endo-loop laparoscopic appendectomy is preferred.