INTRODUCTION: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common causes of emergency abdominal surgery. La-paroscopic and open (mini-incision) appendectomy are the two primary surgical techniques used for treat-ment, each offering unique advantages.
This study aims to compare postoperative outcomes, including wound infection rates and pain levels, be-tween laparoscopic and mini-incision open appendectomy.
METHODS: A prospective study was conducted from July 2021 to July 2022 in Van, Türkiye, with 239 patients. After excluding 13 patients, 226 were analyzed. Surgeries were performed by a single surgeon. Data on age, gender, wound infection rates, postoperative pain (measured by the Visual Analog Scale), and length of hospital stay were collected. Statistical analysis was conducted using Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests.
RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the laparoscopic and mini-incision open groups in terms of age, gender, wound infection rates, or postoperative pain at 12 and 24 hours (p>0.05). The wound infection rate was slightly lower in the laparoscopic group, but the difference was not statistically significant.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Both laparoscopic and mini-incision open appendectomy are safe and effective methods for treating acute appendicitis. No significant differences were observed in terms of wound infection rates, postoperative pain, or patient demographics. Larger studies with longer follow-up periods are recommended to further evaluate long-term outcomes.