Unexpected findings on laparoscopy for suspected acute appendicitis: a pro for laparoscopic appendectomy as the standard procedure for acute appendicitis.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of the feasibility, cost-effectiveness, time of surgery, morbidities, and other/additional findings during laparoscopy for suspected appendicitis.


METHODS
Prospective evaluation of 148 laparoscopies for suspected acute appendicitis.


RESULTS
Laparoscopic appendectomy was safe and cost-effective. No appendiceal stump leaks or wound infections occurred. Of the patients, 4.7% developed intra-abdominal abscesses. Mean time of all procedures was 47 min: 42 min for simple appendectomies (n = 126), 67 min for perforated appendicitis (n = 15), and 75 min for converted procedures (n = 7). Twenty-one of 148 (14.2%) patients had unexpected findings instead of appendicitis: inflamed epiploic appendices (three times), inflammatory disorders of intestine (five times), intestinal adhesions (two times), ovarian cysts (six times: one time with mesenteric lymphadenitis, one time ruptured), tubo-ovarian abscess (one time), tubal necrosis (one time), adnexitis with mesenteric lymphadenitis (one time), and acute cholecystitis (one time). These diagnoses might have been missed during conventional open appendectomy and were, if necessary, treated during laparoscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopic appendectomy should be recommended as standard procedure for acute appendicitis.
Partecke
Lars Ivo
LI
Department of Surgery, St. Adolf-Stift Hospital, Reinbek, Germany. Partecke@uni-greifswald.de
von Bernstorff
Wolfram
W
Karrasch
Annette
A
Cziupka
Katharina
K
Glitsch
Anne
A
Stier
Albrecht
A
Heidecke
Claus Dieter
CD
Tepel
Jürgen
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000191:economics; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000473:pathology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008640:Mesenteric Lymphadenitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult