INTRODUCTION: Appendectomy and colectomy are commonly performed surgical procedures. Despite evidence demonstrating advantages to the minimally invasive surgical (MIS) approach, the prevalence of open procedures is higher. It remains controversial whether the MIS approach is safer or more cost effective.
METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using a large commercial payer database. The data included information on 7,532 appendectomies and 2,745 colectomies. Data were reviewed on the distribution of patient demographic and co-morbidity characteristics associated with the MIS and open approaches. The corresponding complication rates and expenditures were analyzed. Summary statistics were compared using chi-square tests and generalized linear models were constructed to estimate expenditures while controlling for patient characteristics.
RESULTS: There were no significant variations in the age distribution of patients undergoing MIS and open colectomy, and marginal age differences for appendectomy. Significantly more patients experienced an infection postoperatively and procedure-specific complications rates were more common in the open group (p
Session: Podium Presentation
Program Number: S003