Browsing by Subject "observational study"

Abstract Background and aims: Diagnosis based solely on symptoms may lead to a high negative appendectomy rate and unnecessary surgery. We investigated the outcomes of appendectomies and determined if changes in the diagnostic work-up routines of acute appendicitis are necessary. Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all emergency appendectomies performed in our hospital during a five-year period (2010–2014). We included a total of 805 consecutive patients undergoing open or laparoscopic appendectomy. Elective appendectomies (n=13) were excluded. Outcomes were compared by the chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: Out of 805 patients, 345 (42.9%) were operated on by a laparoscopic approach; the laparoscopic technique was increasingly used during the study years. Women underwent laparoscopic appendectomy (58.6%) more often than men (29.8%; p<0.001). The mean operating time was marginally shorter with the open approach (55 versus 58 min; p=0.027). Postoperative hospital stay was shorter for the laparoscopic group (1.8 versus 2.3 days; p=0.014). The negative appendectomy rate was 7.8%. Conclusion: The negative appendectomy rate in this cohort of consecutive emergency appendectomies without systematic diagnostic imaging was low. Keywords: Appendicitis, appendectomy, appendectomy rate, laparoscopic approach, open approach, observational study