Laparoscopic Versus Open Surgery for Acute Appendicitis and Progress in Laparoscopic Appendectomy

Kunihiko Amemiya, Eiji Gochi and Nobuyuki Nakajima^*

Department of Surgery Yokohamahigashi National Hospital ^*Department of Surgery I Chiba University School of Medicine

To compare early laparoscopic appendectomy and recently performed laparoscopic appendectomy with open appendectomy, we divided subjects into three groups, …50 undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy between July 1991 and December 1993 as early cases, 50 undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy between January 1999 and June 2000 as late cases, and 50 undergoing open appendectomy before July 1991. Patients among early cases were aged 6∼64 (average age: 26.6±15.4 years) and WBC from 4,800 to 19,900 (average: 12,600±3,570). Patients among late cases were aged 4∼67 (average age: 27.5±15.3 years), and WBC from 4,600 to 27,900 (average: 12,894±4,910). Patients undergoing open appendectomy were aged 7∼84 (average age : 29.0±19.2) and WBC from 5,200 to 23,400 (average: 13,600±4,050). Variables evaluated were operating time, days until patients tolerated a ragular diet, days of hospitalization, and complications. Open appenndectomy took less operating time, but more patients suffering wound infection than in the laparoscopic group and required longer hospitalization.

Key words
laparoscopic appendectomy, laparoscopic operation, acute appendicitis

Reprint requests
Kunihiko Amemiya Department of Surgery, Yokohamahigashi National Hospital 215 Iwaimachi, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, 240-8521 JAPAN

Accepted
December 19, 2000

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