Background
The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of operated patients following use of scalpel versus electrocautery for abdominal incision in McBurney's point appendectomy.

Material and Methods
80 patients undergoing open appendectomy in McBurney's point were analyzed retrospectively from Aug 2013 to Des 2013. Patients divided into two groups, matched for age, sex, co- morbidities and medications according to the method used to perform incision, i.e., scalpel or surgical diathermy. Wound related complications, cosmetic assessments of the scar, total operating time and postoperative wound pain were compared.

Result
The overall incidence of wound related complications in this study was few with no significant difference between the two groups before discharge and at 1-month follow-up; include 2 surgical side infections in scalpel group versus 1 in electrocautery group. However, the mean of operating time (46.63±17.59 min) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for post operative wound pain (4.51±1.23) of the cautery was used in the group is significantly less than the scalpel group respectively (61.46±18.69 min), (7.12±1.28) (p<0.05).

Conclusion
The use of electrocautery for performing surgical incision in open appendectomy can significantly reduced the operating time and postoperative wound pain and there wasn't any significant difference in wound complication rates or scar cosmesis between scalpel and electrocautery for abdominal incision. The authors suggest electrocautery as a safe and effective method for performing surgical incision in open appendectomy.