title: Advantages of open laparoscopic surgery over exploratory laparotomy in patients with tubo-ovarian abscess.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare laparoscopic surgery and conventional laparotomy in managing patients with tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).
  
  
  METHODS
  Regional hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine women with clinically suspicious TOA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Operative laparoscopy or laparotomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Laparoscopic surgery in 19 women had significant advantages over laparotomy in 37 women. It decreased hospital stay (5.37 +/-1.38 days vs 8.92 +/- 2.59 days, p = 0.0001), had a lower percentage of wound infections, and had a shorter time for fever to subside (25.79 +/- 11.45 vs 39.46 +/- 17.47 hrs, p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although management of TOA consists of conservative medical treatment with antibiotics, it is now widely accepted that surgical intervention should be pursued early after the diagnosis. Open laparoscopy seems to be a good alternative to traditional laparotomy in managing these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jen-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Peng-Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007813:Laparotomy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies