title: Prospective randomized comparison of open versus laparoscopic appendectomy in men.
abstract: A prospective, randomized trial was performed to compare open appendectomy with laparoscopic appendectomy in men with a clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Sixty-four patients with a median age of 25 years (range 18-84 years) were randomized to open appendectomy (n = 31) or laparoscopic (n = 33) appendectomy. Of the 64 men, 56 (87.5%) had appendicitis (27 open, 29 laparoscopic procedures). The mean operating times were 50.6 +/- 3.7 minutes (+/- SEM) for open and 58.9 +/- 4.0 minutes for laparoscopic appendectomy (p = 0.13). Five (15%) patients randomized to laparoscopic appendectomy had an open operation. The mean postoperative hospital stay was significantly longer for open appendectomy (3.8 +/- 0.4 days) than for laparoscopic appendectomy (2.9 +/- 0.3 days) (t = 2. 05,df = 62,p = 0.045). The complication rate after open appendectomy (25.8%) was not significantly different from that after laparoscopic appendectomy (12.1%). There was a single postoperative death due to a pulmonary embolus in the laparoscopic group and a single death due to cardiac and renal failure in the open group. The mean time to return to normal activities was significantly longer following open appendectomy (19.7 +/- 2.4 days) than after laparoscopic appendectomy (10.4 +/- 0.9 days), (t = 3.75,df = 49,p = 0.001). In conclusion, laparoscopic appendectomy in men has significant advantages in terms of a more rapid recovery compared to open appendectomy. There were no significant disadvantages to laparoscopic appendectomy compared to open appendectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Flinders Medical Center, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: McCall
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toouli
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Padbury
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wattchow
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Langcake
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery*; D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013021:South Australia