Compared to the open approach, the laparoscopic approach is linked with a shorter hospital stay and fewer postoperative complications in people suffering from perforated peptic ulcer.

A comparative retrospective observational study was conducted to examine the postsurgical complications after open and laparoscopic surgery of peptic ulcer. 

The study recruited 250 people (190 men, 60 women, mean age 54 years) operated for perforated peptic ulcer. People who had undergone suture and/or omentoplasty were chosen, either for open surgery or laparoscopic surgery. Collection of clinical, demographic, and intraoperative variables; length of stay; complications; and mortality was done. A comparison was conducted between the open and laparoscopic approaches.

In 52% (129/250) of cases,  the surgical approach was open while in 48% (121/250) of cases, the surgical approach was laparoscopic. In 23 of cases (9%), Grades III-V complications of Clavien-Dindo Classification was found to occur. The operative mortality was noted to be 1.2% (3 patients).

Laparoscopically operated people had a considerably shorter hospital stay and fewer complications, as shown in Table 1:

In the multivariate assessment, laparoscopic approach, age, and Boey score were independent prognostic factors for postsurgery complications.

Laparoscopic suturing of perforated peptic ulcers, apart from being a viable and safe technique, can offer remarkable benefits in terms of postsurgery complications and hospital stay and should be therefore considered as the first-choice approach for the management of peptic ulcer.