Rey G Romero, MD, Jeffrey L Glass, MD, Karla C Russek, MD, Morris E Franklin Jr, MD. Texas Endosurgery Institute, Programa Muticéntrico ITESM/SSNL
INTRODUCTION: The lifetime risk of acute appendicitis is 6-7%. Incidental appendectomy is defined as the removal of a clinically normal appendix during non-appendiceal surgery. Guidelines have tried to determine candidates for incidental appendectomy, and most reports recommend it in people younger than 35 years. The objective of the study was to compare pre, trans, and postoperative variables in two groups, patients with and without incidental appendectomy.
METHODS: A prospective, comparative and observational study was carried out from January 2000 to October 2008. The patients included in the study were women who underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. They were classified in Group 1, patients who had incidental appendectomy, and Group 2, patients who didn’t. Variables between both groups were analyzed.
RESULTS: A total of 294 patients, Group 1 (173) and Group 2 (121), were included in the study, with a mean age of 28 (1SD ± 6.8). Preexisting medical illnesses, clinical manifestations secondary to biliary diseases, preoperative studies, length of surgery, trans and postoperative complications were analyzed and no statistically significant difference were found between both groups.
CONCLUSION: Prophylactic appendectomy during cholecystectomy in young women is a safe procedure that may prevent future episodes of acute appendicitis under controversial cost-benefit circumstances.
Session: Poster
Program Number: P439
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