[Postoperative result in appendectomy with Pouchet technique versus other surgical techniques].

Abstract

Background: Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency worldwide. Closure of the appendiceal stump is a critical step to prevent postoperative complications.

Objective: To compare postoperative outcomes of appendectomy using the Pouchet technique versus other appendiceal stump closure techniques.

Material and methods: This retrospective study analyzed medical records of patients over 18 years of age who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis at a secondary-level hospital. Postoperative outcomes were assessed based on the presence of infectious complications, operative time, and length of hospital stay, comparing the surgical techniques used: Pouchet, Halsted, Zuckerman, and Parker. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, using the chi-square test to estimate differences in postoperative outcomes, with a significance level of ≤ 0.05.

Results: A total of 118 medical records were analyzed, of which 70 corresponded to female patients (59.3%), with a median age of 39 years (interquartile range: 18-92 years). The most commonly used surgical techniques were: Pouchet (74 cases; 62.7%), Halsted (27; 22.8%), Zuckerman (12; 10.1%), and Parker (5; 4.2%). The Pouchet and Halsted techniques showed statistically significant differences compared to other techniques in terms of shorter operative time and hospital stay (p = 0.000 and p = 0.011, respectively). Additionally, the Pouchet and Parker techniques were associated with statistically significant differences in the incidence of infectious complications (p = 0.030).

Conclusions: The Pouchet technique demonstrated the best postoperative outcomes in terms of operative time, hospital stay duration, and lower incidence of infectious complications.