Andronikos Karasakalides, MD, Kostantinos Kapoutzis, MD, Evangelia Michalopoulou, MD, Konstantinos Ligasis, MD. Giannitsa General Hospital.
Background
Laparoscopic appendectomy using three-trocars has been widely used for treatment of appendicitis. The use of single incision laparoscopic appendectomy on the other hand is being used more frequently primarily because of the attractive cosmetic results.
Method
This is a retrospective study of our experience with single incision laparoscopic appendectomy. Single incision laparoscopic appendectomy was performed on 64 patients. The data and demographics were recorded and the results were analyzed.
Results
Single incision appendectomy was successfully performed on all 64 patients. The average operating time was 54 minutes. There were 41 female and 23 male patients with a mean age of 28 years. All procedures were carried out from a single umbilical incision and there were no complications associated with the procedure. Of the 64 cases, 52 were performed as an emergency case in the middle of the night whereas the remaining 12 cases were scheduled as routine procedures in the morning
Conclusion– Single incision laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe procedure that can be performed as an emergency procedure. It is an attractive and feasible alternative for treatment of acute appendicitis.