Laparoscopic appendicectomy--a trainee's experience.
OBJECTIVE
A retrospective audit was carried out of a single advance surgical trainee's experience with laparoscopic appendicectomy, in an attempt to justify its ongoing utilization in the management of patients with this acute surgical presentation.


RESULTS
Two hundred laparoscopic appendicectomies have been performed over the last four years on an intention-to-treat basis. Sixty-five per cent have been female, with an average population age of 24 years. There was a true appendicitis rate of 79%, with a conversion rate of 6%, and a mean operating time of 32 minutes. Complications have included intra-abdominal sepsis in three (1.5%) and postoperative ileus (1%). There have been no reported wound infections. The mean times to discharge were two days in the laparoscopic group and 3.7 days in the converted group.


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports the utilization of laparoscopic appendicectomy as a safe and effective operation for surgical trainees to gain laparoscopic experience.
Department of Surgery, Wellington Hospital.
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Baker
D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery*; D000075202:Contraindications; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology