LAPAROSCOPIC APPENDECTOMY BECOMES THE METHOD OF CHOICE IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS

Introduction: Laparoscopic appendectomy becomes a usual method in the treatment of acute appendicitis, although its advantage over open appendectomy has been proven. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a few medical centers are introducing laparoscopic appendectomy as a method of treatment of acute appendicitis. In this study we want to compare different methods of treatment of acute appendicitis. Patients and Methods: During 20 months we have analyzed 498 patients operated due to acute appendicitis. We followed the duration of operation, total hospitalization stay, complications of surgical procedure and reasons of conversion in patients operated by laparoscopic approach. Results: The duration of operation was 96 minutes in the group operated by open approach and 107 minutes in the group operated by laparoscopic approach. Total hospitalization stay was 3.9. days in the group operated by open approach and 2.3. days in the group operated by laparoscopic approach. The most frequent complication in the group operated by open approach was infection of the operative wound (56/452) and ileus (5/452), and in the group operated by laparosocopic approach ileus (1/46) was the most frequent complication. Conclusion: The patients operated by laparoscopic approach have fewer risk of wound infection, and the hospital stay is shorter. With the increase of surgeon’s experience this method of treatment of acute appendicitis will become a method of choice.