Our initial experience with laparoscopic appendectomy in the management of patients with acute appendicitis at the Hospital Nacional Daniel Alcides Carrion, between January 1997 and December 1997, is reported. A total of 35 laparoscopic procedures, were performed. The median age was 23,8 years (range, 10 to 47 years) with 57,1% males (n = 20) and 42,9% females (n = 15). 10 patients (28,5%) had perforated appendicitis; 5 patients (14,2%) had minor intraoperative complications, none of them modified final results. Trochar wound infection was present in three patients. The median postoperative length of stay was 2 days for non complicated and 7 days for complicated patients. Length of time for the procedure was, in most of cases, adequate.