Comparative safety and efficacy study of laparoscopic and open appendectomy

Background: Appendicitis is a common surgical emergency and the choice between laparoscopic and open appendectomy can significantly affect patient outcomes. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes and resource utilization associated with these two surgical approaches. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on patients who underwent either laparoscopic or open appendectomy. Demographic and clinical characteristics including age distribution, type of appendicitis, leukocytes and additional surgical findings were evaluated. The two groups were evaluated and compared based on various postoperative outcomes. These included assessments of pain scores, opioid requirements, oral feeding tolerance, time taken to resume normal activities, length of hospital stay and overall expenses. Results: This study included 100 appendicitis patients. The age distribution showed that young adults were most commonly affected. Laparoscopic appendectomy was linked to lower pain scores (2.77 vs 5.36 on day 0), reduced opioid requirement (6.7% vs 93.3%), faster oral feed tolerance (87% on day 0 vs 3% for open appendectomy) and quicker return to normal activity (2.42 days vs 5.15 days). Complications, such as wound infections and urinary retention, were lower in the laparoscopic group. However, the total cost of laparoscopic appendectomy is high. Conclusions: Laparoscopic appendectomy yields superior clinical outcomes, including reduced pain, fewer complications and faster recovery, despite being more costly than open appendectomy. These findings suggest that laparoscopic surgery is the preferred approach for managing appendicitis when feasible.