Introduction:

Acute appendicitis represents one of the most common surgical emergencies during daily surgical practice. The decision to perform open versus laparoscopic surgery continues to depend on the resources and training of the surgeon.

Objective:

The general objective of this study is to compare the surgical treatment of acute appendicitis, both laparoscopic and open, in a series of cases, analyzing the most common complications and costs generated for the patient.

Material and methods:

We conducted an observational, retrospective study with all cases operated for acute appendicitis in a period of 23 months. We performed an analysis taking as variables the demographics, transoperative findings, days of in-hospital stay or any postoperative complications.

Results:

With a total population of 713 patients, laparoscopic appendectomy was performed on 647 (90.74%) and appendectomy by open approach on 66; eight (1.24%) and four (6.06%) patients, respectively, presented postoperative complications during their treatment, which generated a considerable increase in costs, as well as in the average days of in-hospital stay.

Conclusions:

Laparoscopic management of acute appendicitis offers benefits such as shorter intrahospital stay and a lower percentage of complications. Unlike open surgery, residual abscesses postoperative to laparoscopic surgery did not require reoperation, and there were no cases with wound dehiscence. Although laparoscopic surgery is more expensive on average, it offers less serious complications and its costs, when compared to those generated by open surgery, are lower.