A survey of all general surgeons in one regional health authority has
shown that despite the increase in laparoscopic surgery following the
introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, laparoscopy was used in
the management of acute abdominal pain by 28% of consultants and only
10% of trainee surgeons. In a retrospective study of 316 patients unde
rgoing open appendicectomy the histological appearance of the appendix
was normal in 60 (19%). In a non-randomized prospective study only 13
of 30 patients laparoscoped who were due to undergo open appendicecto
my had acute appendicitis. Patients undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy
and laparoscopic appendicectomy had a shorter post-operative hospital
stay (1.7 +/- 0.2 days) compared to those undergoing open appendicecto
my (2.9 +/- 0.2 days), which is highly significant (P < 0.0001). In th
e management of acute abdominal pain laparoscopy can significantly red
uce unnecessary operative intervention and allow earlier discharge fro
m hospital and return to full mobility.