Reduced incidence of early complications of surgical wounds in laparoscopic surgery

Background: Wound-related complications are major sources of trouble in post-operative period and slow down the wound healing process. This study was performed to determine the incidence of early wound related complications in laparoscopic versus open abdominal surgeries. Methods: Medical records of 104 elective laparoscopic (A) and 106 diagnosis matched open surgeries (B) including appendectomy, cholecystectomy, ventral hernia repair, and bariatric surgery were retrospectively reviewed between Jun 2002 and Jan 2005. Study data included patients’ sex, age, wound class, type of operation, and occurrence of early wound related complications. Surgical wounds were evaluated for presence of early complications during the post-op period and 10 to 15 days after the operation. Results: The two groups were not different regarding age, sex and wound classes. Wound infection developed in 7 patients [RR: 0.06 (0.01-0.77) (95%CI)] and none in patients of group B. Incidence of Hematoma was similar in the two groups; one case in each. No patients in the two groups experienced seruma nor wound dehiscence. Gender, age, and wound classes were not associated with higher rates of wound complications. Conclusion: Laparoscopic surgery significantly reduced the incidence of early wound complications, namely wound infection, and is a safe and efficient alternative to conventional open procedures.