Despite the reported advantages of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA), an ongoing debate exists about a possible increase in postoperative infectious complication rates. The analyses of risk factors associated with surgical site infections (SSIs) after LA, have been limited.

One hundred twenty laparoscopic appendectomies performed over one year, were included in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into 2 group; group A was the one in which LA was done with using reusable retrieval bag and group B without using that. Demographic details, operative time, hospital stay and infective postoperative complications were recorded.

This patient groups were selected to be similar in both groups A and B in form of appendicitis types. Each group included 27 (45%) acute catarrhal appendicitis, 20 (33.3%) suppurative appendicitis and 13 (21.7%) perforated appendicitis, P = 1.0. The median patients ages were 21 years (range, 16 to 49) in group A and 25 years (range, 18 to 56) in group B, P = 0.053. Group A included 60 patients (35 males and 25 females) and group B 60 patients (32 males and 28 females), P = 0.071. Mean operative time in group A was 55.7 minutes and in group B was 57 minutes, P = 0.0231. Superficial wound infections were recorded in one patient (1.7%) in group A and in 8 patients (13.3%) in group B, P = 0.007. Intra-abdominal abscess formation was a complicated outcome in 2 patients (3.3%) of group B, P = 0.005. Mean hospital stay was 1.6 days in group A and 2.7 days in group B, P = 0.05.

Surgical wound infections are less common by using reusable retrieval bag during laparoscopic appendectomy procedure. Also, using reusable retrieval bag has less cost.