title: Feasibility of prophylactic laparoscopic appendectomy in obese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility of prophylactic laparoscopic appendectomy in obese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was performed in obese patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) along (66 patients, TLH group) or in combination (55 patients, THL+LA group) with laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) between 2007 and 2012. Operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, postoperative exhaust time, analgesic use, and the incidence of major complications, hospital stay and cost of hospitalization were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The operation time was longer in THL+LA group than in TLH group (p < 0.05), while the intraoperative bleeding volume, postoperative exhaust time, postoperative morbidity, the incidence of major postoperative complications, and hospitalization time were not significantly different between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is safe and feasible for obese patients to undergo simultaneous LA and prophylactic appendectomy, and the combined procedure does not increase the risk of infection of hysterectomy and avoids reoperation of patients due to the recurrence of appendicitis.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000379:methods*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D065286:Prophylactic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*