INCIDENTAL APPENDECTOMY

Abstract

Objective: To determine the benefits of incidental appendectomy during abdominal hysterectomy in terms of post-operativecomplications and cost of operation. Duration: (5 years) 2003 to 2008. Design: Retrospective study. Methodology: 171patients who did (n:73) or did not (n: 98) undergo elective incidental appendectomy at the time of uncomplicated total abdominal hysterectomy from 2003 to 2008 atthree different hospitals by a single surgeon. The data was obtained about age, operation time, hospital stay, postoperative complications like(fever, wound infection, abscess formation, wound collection, wound dehiscence). Post-operative follow up was done for 5 years. Data wasanalyzed with chi square test using SPSS 16. Results: Seventy three incidental appendectomies were performed in this study of 171 patients(43%). The procedure was most commonly performed with total abdominal hysterectomy. Bilateral salpingo oophorectomy was performed in27 (16%) while unilateral in 13 cases (7.6%). Histopathology was done in 114 cases of uterus (70%), all the ovarian samples (100%), and 14 ofappendixes (19%). Only 06 appendixes out of 14 were reported inflamed (42.8%). Sixteen patients (16.3%) out of remaining 98 patientsreported for appendectomy within 3 to 5 years following TAH. P value <0.05 was considered significant and results of both groups werecompared with mean and P value. Conclusions: The data from current study and review of literature affirms incidental removal of theappendix. The two groups are comparable to each other in all parameters and perforation. The decision to perform an elective coincidentalappendectomy at the time of an unrelated gynecologic surgical procedure should be based on individual clinical scenarios and patientcharacteristics and preferences.