Laparoscopic appendectomy and the management of gynecologic pathologic conditions found at laparoscopy for presumed appendicitis

Comparison between laparoscopic versus open appendectomy in morbid obese patients

Purpose

To evaluate the laparoscopic approach advantages for the management of acute appendicitis in morbidly obese patients.

Methods

A prospective study included all morbidly obese patients who had presented to the emergency department at Sohag University Hospitals and were diagnosed with acute appendicitis between the 1st of June 2022 and the 31st of January 2023. All those patients were invited to participate in the research by randomization. The authors informed patients and their first-degree relatives about both techniques, signed a consent form for participation in the study. The authors categorized them into two groups; laparoscopic approach (group I) and open approach (group II). Comparisons were based on operative time, intraoperative complications, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, and time until return to normal daily activities.

Results

The study enrolled 64 patients: 33 had a laparoscopic appendectomy, and 31 had an open appendectomy. The groups were similar in terms of clinicopathologic characteristics. The operating time was significantly shorter for Group I patients than Group II (Group I, 49.09±16.21 min vs. Group II, 68.03±15.78 min; P value less than 0.05). Regarding the length of hospital stay, twenty-six patients (78.8%) were discharged within the 1st 24 h in the laparoscopic group versus 17 patients (54.8%) in the open group (P value 0.041). The time until return to the routine daily work was significantly shorter in the laparoscopic group (11.27±2.6 days) than in the open group (17.23±4.8 days) (P value less 0.05). Four postoperative complications were reported in the study population: wound complications (infection, seroma formation), residual abdominal abscess, paralytic ileus, and thromboembolic complications (Deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism). Group II had a statistically significant higher complication rate (32.3%) than Group I (9.09%) (P value 0.007).

Conclusion

Laparoscopic appendectomy had superior clinical outcomes than an open appendectomy in morbidly obese patients. In addition to minimal invasiveness and better cosmetic results, it has a great advantage as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in morbidly obese patients with suspected appendicitis. It is also a safe and feasible approach with a low rate of complications with a well-trained expert surgeon.

A videolaparoscopia na apendicite aguda na mulher em idade fértil

O diagnóstico de apendicite aguda na mulher em idade fértil é um desafio para o cirurgião devido ao alto índice de explorações cirúrgicas negativas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estabelecer um índice de probabilidade diagnóstica e o valor da videolaparoscopia nestes casos. Foram analisadas, prospectivamente, 34 mulheres em idade fértil referendadas para o serviço com diagnóstico de apendicite aguda. As pacientes foram submetidas à videolaparoscopia de urgência, e o tratamento cirúrgico, quando indicado, foi realizado por videolaparoscopia sempre que possível. Entre as 34 pacientes, 17 apresentaram apendicite aguda à videolaparoscopia, sendo que 15 delas foram operadas por esta via. As 17 pacientes que apresentaram outro diagnóstico à videolaparoscopia não necessitaram de qualquer tratamento cirúrgico em 13 casos, sendo que quatro pacientes foram submetidas a operação por via aberta. O quadro clínico foi medido por um índice de probabilidade para apendicite aguda, e os resultados videolaparoscópicos foram relacionados a este índice. A conclusão é que a videolaparoscopia é um instrumento importante na abordagem propedêutica e terapêutica do abdome agudo da mulher em idade fértil, possibilitando uma maior precisão diagnóstica nestes casos e evitando laparotomias não terapêuticas.