Clinical study on the safety of omitting abdominal drainage in laparoscopic appendectomy for adult acute perforated appendicitis

This study aimed to investigate the safety and feasibility of avoiding postoperative drainage in adult patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for acute perforated appendicitis. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 98 adult patients with acute perforated appendicitis who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy at Hefei Second People's Hospital from June 2023 to February 2025. Patients were divided into a drainage group (n = 62) and a nondrainage group (n = 36) based on whether abdominal drainage was applied. Preoperative peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil (NEUT) count, C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as postoperative day 2 and day 7 WBC count, NEUT count, CRP, interleukin-6, total hospital stay, duration of antibiotic use, and complication rates (e.g., intra-abdominal abscess, ileus, wound infection) were compared between the 2 groups. No statistically significant differences were observed between the drainage and nondrainage groups in preoperative WBC, NEUT, CRP (P > .05), or postoperative day 2 and day 7 WBC, NEUT, CRP, interleukin-6, and complication rates (P > .05). The nondrainage group exhibited shorter durations of antibiotic use and hospital stay, as well as reduced hospitalization costs, with statistically significant differences between the groups (P < .05). Omitting abdominal drainage following laparoscopic appendectomy for adult acute perforated appendicitis is safe and feasible and contributes to enhanced patient recovery probably.