Impact of AITS laparoscopic training center on surgeons' preference for appendectomy

Background Acute appendicitis is the most common acute abdomen in general surgery. Show-Chwan Memorial Hospital began an AITS/IRCAD laparoscopic training program in late May 2008. In this retrospective analysis, we surveyed the impact of the AITS training program on surgeons' preference for open appendectomy (OA) versus laparoscopic appendectomy (LA). Methods From January 1, 2004 to July 31, 2009, patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis in Changhua Show-Chwan Memorial Hospital and Chang-Bing Show-Chwan Memorial Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data, laboratory examinations, surgical methods, hospital stay, and complication rate data were collected and analyzed. The LA rate and effect of surgeons' preference before and after AITS were compared. Results In all, 1,267 patients (58.2% male and 41.8% female; mean age, 36.6 years) were diagnosed with acute appendicitis during this period. Among them, 78.9% of patients had uncomplicated and 21.1% complicated appendicitis; 784 patients (61.9%) underwent OA, and 465 (36.7%) received LA. In 2004, only 8.1% of patients underwent LA, but the number increased rapidly to 90.4% in 2009 (P < 0.001). The average LA rate before AITS was 21%; however, after AITS, the LA rate increased to 84.6% (P < 0.001). The LA rate increased for all surgeons completing the training course, ranging from 16 to 83%. The overall appendectomy complication rate was 8.4%, with no significant difference between OA (9.7%) and LA (6.5%; P = 0.174). Hospital stay was shorter in the LA group (4.05 +/- 1.9 days) compared with the OA group (4.55 +/- 3.6; P = 0.006). Conclusions Attending the laparoscopic training course significantly increased surgeons' preference for LA.