The trend toward increased intraabdominal abscess formation is worrisome, however, and demands further investigation. A prospective randomized study. Heikkinen TJ, Haukipuro K, Hulkko A Department of Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, Kajoanintie 50, SF-90220 Oulu, Finland. The medians of operative times in the LA and OA groups were 31.5 and 41 min, respectively. The total operation room times were 91 and 82 min, respectively.
Laparoscopic appendectomy is as safe as open appendectomy.
The hospital costs are higher, but LA offers significant cost savings to the payer for working patients. Klingler A, Henle KP, Beller S, Rechner J, Zerz A, Wetscher GJ, Szinicz G Department of General Surgery II, University of Innsbruck, Austria. It is not clear whether the laparoscopic approach does decrease the incidence of postoperative infectious complications after appendectomy. The appendix was perforated in 5 patients of the LA versus 2 patients of the OA group. No conversion to the open procedure was necessary.