Laparoscopic Appendectomy: About a Prospective Monocentric Series of 251 Cases

Abstract

Thanks to numerous studies comparing laparoscopic appendectomy and open appendectomy, laparoscopic appendectomy has become the gold standard in young women. However, its role in the management of acute appendicitis in men remains controversial. The aim of our study was to assess the feasibility, reproducibility, technical difficulties, and identify the advantages and disadvantages of laparoscopic appendectomy. Materials and Methods: Prospective monocentric descriptive feasibility study. We included all adult patients over 15 years of age, operated on for acute appendicitis over 36 months (February 2019-February 2022). Results: A total of 251 patients were operated on for acute appendicitis. The mean age of our patients was 34 years ± 14 years (range 15 - 82 years). Male predominance in (57.37%). Intraoperatively, the phlegmonous form was the most frequent (148 patients = 58.97%). The appendix was often located in the internal latero-caecal position (120 patients = 47.81%). The mean operating time was 37.06 ± 15.76 minutes (range 21 to 97 minutes). Only one conversion was recorded (0.4%). The rate of postoperative complications was (3.58%), including 03 (1.19%) deep collections of the right iliac fossa. Pain assessed on the visual analog scale (VAS) was often of low intensity (176 patients = 70.12%). Conclusion: In addition to the well-known advantages of laparoscopic approach, our results have shown the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic appendectomy.