Trocar Site Location in Laparoscopic Appendectomy—A Prospective Randomized Study

Abstract

Introduction: Laparoscopic appendectomy has been used in the treatment of appendicitis, which is among the most common emergency pathologies worldwide. There is no consensus on the best trocar entry sites. The purpose of the present study was to compare various trocar entry sites in the literature and to find the localization with the optimal usage area. Methods: Patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy between 2021 and 2022 were randomized into 4 groups and included in the study. The demographic data, perioperative, and postoperative findings of the patients were evaluated. Results: A total of 200 patients participated in the study and 73% were male. No differences were detected between the groups in terms of demographic data, preoperative findings, length of stay, and complications of the patients. However, when the mean surgery times of the groups were examined (47.2±26.9, 58.4±23.1, 54.5±18.3, 55.8±18.6 min), it was observed that this period was less in Group 1 (P=0.02). When the postoperative Visual Analogue Scale values were analyzed (4.8±2.2, 6.2±1.7, 5.5±2.0, and 5.8±1.9), Group 1 was found to be less painful (P=0.00001). Conclusion: When the surgical procedure is optimized and environmental factors are homogenized, Group 1 trocar entry sites seem advantageous for the procedure in terms of postoperative patient pain scale and operation times.