The authors evaluated a group of 282 patients subjected between January 1993 and December 1998 to appendectomy, either by the open or laparoscopic route. They compared the period of work incapacity in the two groups to confirm or rule out the fact that after laparoscopic appendectomy the return to work is faster. The results are more favourable in the group of patients operated by the miniinvasive procedure, but even then the period of work incapacity is twice as long, as compared with other countries.

        Key words: appendectomy O miniinvasive procedure O surgery