Laparoscopic appendectomy with the help of a wire snare

This report describes the performance of a laparoscopic appendectomy (LA), a new technique using a "wire snare" without any specific complications. Th e snare consisted of an 18-gauge injection needle and folded fine wire, mea suring 0.28 mm in diameter. LA was performed in 95 patients with acute appe ndicitis using a cheap and simple wire snare to catch the ligation thread o f #0 silk. A good view of the appendix and mesoappendix was obtained in all cases by traction of the #0 silk. The operative time needed to perform LA using a wire snare for nongangrenous appendicitis in 77 cases overall, the first 10 cases, and the last 10 cases was 54 +/- 17, 64 +/- 5, and 33 +/- 4 min, respectively. Two of the 95 patients required conversion to an open a ppendectomy because of technical difficulties due to the formation of an in flammatory mass. There were no complications associated with insertion of t he snare. The wire snare is an innovative technique and does not increase t he costs significantly, and should help reduce the number of trocar sites a nd the operative time, while also making an LA easier to perform.