Laparoscopic appendicectomy versus open appendicectomy at Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

A retrospective 4 year study was conducted at KNH between 1998 and 2002 to determine the outcome of laparoscopic appendicectomy compared to open appendicectomy. A total of 75 patients' files who underwent surgery within the study period were perused. Thirty-two patients (42.7%) underwent laparoscopic surgery (LA) and 43 patients (57.3%) underwent open appendicectomy (OA). Of the 75 patients, 44 were males while 31 were females. Out of the 44 male patients, 18 male patients underwent LA while 26 underwent OA surgery. Out of the 31 female patients, 14 patients underwent LA while 17 underwent OA surgery. Age ranged from 6 years to 70 years with a mean of28.8 years. Duration of surgery was obtained in 60 of the patients in the study, the mean duration of surgery for LA was 1.63 hours and for GA was 1.04 hours. The mean hospital stay for patients undergoing LA was 3.26 days while in patients undergoing OA it was 5.1 days. Laparoscopic Appendicectomy appeared to have relatively fewer complication rates with one patient having abdominal distension. Three patients (6.7%) in the OA group had mild sepsis.