[Appendectomy: open or laparoscopic?].

Surgeons interest in laparoscopic surgery has grown considerably in the last years, mostly due to the explosive spread of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Laparoscopic appendectomy is from a historical point of view the older procedure, since it was already performed 1982 by Semm. His technique was modified 1987 by Götz, who is also responsible for popularizing it in general surgery. Between April 1989 and April 1991 we have performed 107 laparoscopic appendectomies. 82 were completed successfully by laparoscopy, in 25 instances we had to convert to an open procedure, mostly as a result of the lack of proficiency in the learning period. There were 8 septic complication (9.7%), a rather high rate, which probably will be reduced with the increasing operative expertise. There were no deaths in this series. Further experience is demanded in order to establish laparoscopic appendectomy as the alternative to the conventional procedure.