Aim: Comparison of open appendectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy with focus on the wound infectious complications. Methods: Retrospective comparison of the early postoperative complications of the elective open and elective laparoscopic appendectomy in the Surgical Clinics of the Teaching Hospital Hradec Králové in period January 2001–July 2004. Results: 250 elective appendectomies in women were performed in followed period. 187 (75%) were done by laparoscopic approach, 63 (25%) by open procedure. Conversion was necessary in 18 cases (9.6%). The average hospital stay was statistically significantly shorter following laparoscopic than open appendectomy, 4.6 ± 1.5 days counter to 6.1 ± 1.6. The global morbidity was comparable in both groups 15%, one patient died (0.5%) in laparoscopic appendectomy group. The incidence of early postoperative complications was not statistically different in both groups. Conclusions: The average hospital stay was statistically significantly shorter following laparoscopic appendectomy. Laparoscopic appendectomy did not improve the results regarding infectious complications and was a cause of serious complications. Some of them required operational revision.

        Key words: appendectomy – laparoscopy – complications – retrospective study