Laparoscopic versus open appendectomy: Which way to go?

Table 1 Patient demographics

	Open appendectomy	Laparoscopic appendectomy	P
Number of patients	165	128
Male (%)	55.1	44.5	0.33
Female (%)	44.9	55.5	0.38
Mean age	33.4 ± 18	33.8 ± 17.8	0.44
WBC count	15497 ± 3000/mm3	15728 ± 2793/mm3	0.80
Co-morbidities (%)
CAD	6 (3.6)	5 (3.9)	0.63
Hypertension	13 (7.8)	9 (7)	0.71
COPD	5 (3)	4 (3.1)	0.27
DM	6 (3.6)	3 (2.3)	0.14

WBC: White blood cell; CAD: Coronary artery disease; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; DM: Diabetes mellitus.

Table 2 Intraoperative variables

	Open appendectomy	Laparoscopic appendectomy	P
Intraoperative findings (%)
Normal appendix	16 (9.6)	8 (6.2)	0.20
Acute appendicitis	102 (61.8)	82 (64)	0.72
Gangrenous appendicitis	19 (11.5)	20 (15.6)	0.17
Appendiceal abscess	19 (11.5)	12 (9.3)	0.32
Peritonitis	9 (5.4)	6 (4.6)	0.14
Mean operative time (min)	47 ± 19.7	44.3 ± 24	0.31

Table 3 Postoperative complications n (%)

	Open appendectomy	Laparoscopic appendectomy	P
Uncomplicated disease	118	90
Wound infection	1 (0.8)	0 (0)	0.01
Bowel injury	0 (0)	1 (1.1)	< 0.001
Morbidity (%)	0.8	1.1	0.5
Complicated disease	47	38
Wound infection	6 (12.8)	2 (5.3)	0.03
Intra-abdominal abscess	1 (2.1)	2 (5.3)	0.002
Bowel obstruction	5 (10.6)	3 (7.9)	0.37
Respiratory infection	4 (8.5)	2 (5.3)	0.18
Morbidity	34	23.7	0.12
Total morbidity (%)	10.3	7.8	0.43