Advantages comparison of peritoneal drainage versus no drainage after laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated appendicitis: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal drainage (PD) following laparoscopic appendectomy(LA) has long been considered beneficial for appendicitis patients, especially those with complicated appendicitis. However, recent research has raised doubts about the advantages of PD, as it not only fails to reduce postoperative complications but also prolongs the operative duration and hospital stay and incurs higher medical expenses. Given this controversy, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether drainage is necessary after LA for complicated appendicitis. This meta-analysis had registered in PROSPERO(ID: CRD42023472382). OBJECTIVE: This study assessed current evidence regarding the efficacy, safety, and potential benefits of drainage versus no drainage following LA for complicated appendicitis. METHODS: values, fixed- or random effects models were used for data synthesis. Pooled odds ratios (OR) and weighted mean differences (WMD) were calculated for outcome comparisons between PD and no peritoneal drainage (NPD). Sensitivity analysis and meta-regression were performed to assess and investigate inter-study heterogeneity. RESULTS: After conducting our literature search and screening, twelve studies were analyzed, comprising 3374 cases. During the comparison of primary outcomes between PD and NPD, the incidence of wound infection and postoperative VAS score were significantly higher in the PD group(P < 0.05). While during the comparison of secondary outcomes, the operative duration, postoperative recovery time and hospitalization duration were significantly longer in the PD group than in the NPD group(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: PD following LA for complicated appendicitis not only increases the incidence wound infection and aggravate patients' postoperative pain, but also prolongs the operative duration, postoperative recovery time and hospitalization duration. Therefore, routine PD after LA for acute complicated appendicitis is not recommended.