BACKGROUND: Accurately diagnosing appendicitis can be difficult. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the ability of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) to predict acute appendicitis pre-operatively and to differentiate between simple and complicated appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: Fournier's gangrene (FG) is a rapidly progressive and necrotizing infection of the subcutaneous and fascial tissues with a high mortality rate. In the present study, we aimed to investigate prognostic factors and analyze the outcomes of 68 patients in a tertiary reference hospital.

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Background/Aims: The incidence and prevalence of peptic ulcer disease has decreased in recent years, but it is not so easy to make the same conclusion when complications of peptic ulcer are taken into consideration. The aim of this study is to determine the time trends in complicated peptic ulcer disease and to state the effects of H2 receptor blockers, proton pump inhibitors (PPI), and H. pylori eradication therapies on these complications. Materials and Methods: This study retrospectively evaluated the patients who were operated on for complications (perforation, bleeding, and obstruction) of peptic ulcer for the last 50 years. Patients were grouped into four groups (G1-G4) according to the dates in which H2 receptor blockers, PPIs, and eradication regimens for H. pylori were introduced The time periods that were studied were: (G1) 1962-1980, (G2) 1981-1990, (G3) 1991-1997, and (G4) 1998-2012. Results: In total, 2953 patients were operated on for complications of peptic ulcer disease, of which 86% of the patients were male. In G1, perforation and obstruction were significantly the most frequent complications (p<0.001), followed by bleeding. In groups G2 and G3, obstruction was still the most frequent complication requiring surgery (p<0.001). In G2 and G3, obstruction was followed by perforation and bleeding, respectively. In G4, perforation was significantly the most frequent complication (p<0.001). Conclusion: From 1962 to 1990 obstruction was the most common complication requiring surgery. In the last decade, perforation became the most common complication. In contrast to reports in the literature, bleeding was the least common complication requiring surgery in Turkey.

INTRODUCTIONAcute appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdomen in all ages. It occurs more frequently in men than in women (male/female: 1.3/1); the mean and median ages related to this pathology are 31.3 and 22 years, respectively (1-3). Open appendectomy (OA), which was first described by McBurney (4) in 1894, is the most frequently performed emergency abdominal operation in the world. However, the use of the laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) procedure has rapidly increased since it was first described by Semm in 1984 (5). Although LA is commonly performed for acute appendicitis, it is not always the best treatment choice. Many studies comparing LA and OA with respect to treatment and follow-up have been conducted. These studies have reported less postoperative surgical-site infection, decreased need for analgesics, much greater visualization, rapid healing, shorter hospital stay times, and earlier return to normal activity (RTNA) rates associated with LA (6-10). However, because of the high costs related to endostaplers, endoclips, and knottings, LA is not the most efficient operation technique (11, 12).Our aim in this study is to prospectively compare OA and LA performed with laparoscopic intracorporeal knotting and glove endobag; we also wish to demonstrate that the latter is a facile and effective alternative LA procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS Methodology and EthicsThis study was conducted in the Surgery Department at Kars Harakani State Hospital during the period from May 2014 to April 2015. A total of 72 patients who were treated for acute appendicitis were eligible for the study. These 72 patients were divided into two groups: the LA group (group 1) (n=36) and the OA group (group 2) (n=36). All the patients were evaluated in terms of age; gender; perioperative symptoms Objective: Despite the recent increase in the use of laparoscopic appendectomy procedures to treat acute appendicitis, laparoscopic appendectomy is not necessarily the best treatment modality. The aim of this study is to examine the value of laparoscopic intracorporeal knotting and glove endobag in terms of various parameters and in terms of reducing the costs related to laparoscopic appendectomy procedures.Material and Methods: Seventy-two acute appendicitis patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy and open appendectomy surgery were enrolled in the study and were evaluated prospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 was treated with laparoscopic appendectomy using laparoscopic intracorpreal knotting and glove endobag (n=36) and group 2 was treated with open appendectomy (n=36). The two groups were statistically compared in terms of preoperative symptoms and signs, laboratory and imaging findings, operation time and technique, pain score, gas and stool outputs, duration of hospital stay, return to normal activity, and complications. Results:No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in relation to gender, age, body mass index, or pre-operation findings, which include...