Background: Transumbilical laparoscopic appendectomy (TULA) may be a feasible alternative to conventional laparoscopic appendectomy. However, a transumbilical incision may increase incisional surgical site infections (SSIs) compared to conventional laparoscopic appendectomy. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the morphology of the umbilicus and the incidence of SSIs in patients who underwent TULA.
Patients and methods: This retrospective study analysed the medical records of consecutive patients who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis at our institution from June 2016 to October 2020. The patients were assigned to the SSI group (those with an SSI) or the non-SSI group. The morphology of the umbilicus was calculated by measuring its width and depth on preoperative computed tomography images and was compared between the SSI and non-SSI groups.
Results: The SSI group included 23 patients, while the non-SSI group included 252 patients. The width of the umbilicus was significantly shorter in the SSI group than in the non-SSI group (29 ± 10 mm vs. 34 ± 9 mm, P = 0.027). The umbilicus was slightly deeper in the SSI group than in the non-SSI group; however, the difference was not significant (16 mm vs. 15 mm, P = 0.384).
Conclusions: This was the first study investigating the correlation between the morphology of the umbilicus and SSI development in TULA. SSIs tended to occur more commonly in a narrow and deep umbilicus. An extension of the umbilical incision may help prevent SSI in patients with this umbilical morphology.
Keywords: Appendicitis; surgical site infection; transumbilical laparoscopic appendectomy; umbilicus.