A Randomized Trial Comparing Antibiotics with Appendectomy for Appendicitis

Typical and Atypical Presentations of Appendicitis and Their Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment: A Literature Review

Appendicitis, an acute inflammation of the appendix, affects all demographic groups and exhibits various incidences and clinical manifestations. While acute appendicitis typically presents with colicky periumbilical abdominal pain that localizes to the right lower quadrant, atypical presentations are more common in children, geriatric, and pregnant patient populations, leading to delays in diagnosis. Clinical evaluation, clinical scoring systems, and inflammatory markers are commonly used, but their limitations have led to the increased use of diagnostic imaging in patients suspected of appendicitis. Acute appendicitis is managed by non-operative and operative management, depending on whether it is uncomplicated or complicated. Developing diagnostic pathways to improve outcomes and reduce complications is crucial. Although medical advancements have been made, diagnosing and managing appendicitis can be challenging, mainly when patients are present atypically. This literature review aims to comprehensively review typical and atypical presentations of appendicitis and their current implications for diagnosis and treatment modalities in pediatric, adult, pregnant, and geriatric patient populations.

Diagnostic Utility of Serum Leucine-Rich α-2-Glycoprotein 1 for Acute Appendicitis in Children

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to assess the diagnostic utility of serum leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) in pediatric patients with acute abdominal pain, admitted to the emergency surgical unit, in order to make a prompt and accurate diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Pediatric patients older than 5 years of age who presented to the emergency department from 15 October 2021 to 30 June 2022 with acute abdominal pain and suspected acute appendicitis were prospectively recruited in the study. Demographic and clinical data, as well as operative and postoperative data, were recorded. A total of 92 patients were equally distributed into two groups: children with acute appendicitis who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy and non-appendicitis patients, presenting with non-specific abdominal pain. LRG1 levels were determined using a commercially available LRG1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Serum LRG1 levels, as well as other inflammatory markers (white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP) and absolute neutrophil count) were compared between groups.

RESULTS

The median level of LRG1 in serum was significantly higher in the group of children with pathohistologically confirmed acute appendicitis than in the control group, at 350.3 µg/mL (interquartile range (IQR) 165.2-560.3) and 25.7 µg/mL (IQR 14.7-36.8) (p < 0.001), respectively. Receiver operating characteristic area under the curve for LRG1 from serum was 1.0 (95% CI 0.96-1.00; p < 0.001) and the value of >69.1 µg/mL was found to perfectly separate acute appendicitis cases from controls. Additionally, as expected, each of the examined laboratory inflammatory markers provided a significantly higher values in the acute appendicitis group compared to the control group: WBC 14.6 × 109/L (IQR 12.7, 18.7) vs. 7.0 × 109/L (IQR 5.4, 9.0) (p < 0.001), CRP 16.3 mg/dL (IQR 6.9, 50.4) vs. 2.2 mg/dL (IQR 2, 2) (p < 0.001) and absolute neutrophil count 84.6% (IQR 79.5, 89.0) vs. 59.5% (IQR 51.5, 68.6) (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

LRG1 in the serum was found to be a promising novel biomarker, with excellent differentiation of acute appendicitis from non-appendicitis cases in children presenting with non-specific abdominal pain.

Retrospective cohort study of the impact of faecoliths on the natural history of acute appendicitis

BACKGROUND

Despite acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies, its aetiology remains incompletely understood.

AIM

This study aimed to assess the rate at which faecoliths were present in acute appendicitis treated with appendicectomy and whether their presence was associated with complicated appendicitis.

METHODS

All adult patients who underwent appendicectomy for acute appendicitis in a 2 years period (January 2018 and December 2019) at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. The presence of a faecolith was identified by at least one of three methods: pre-operative CT scan, intraoperative identification, or histopathology report. Patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of a faecolith and demographics, type of appendicitis and surgical outcomes analysed. Complicated appendicitis was defined as appendicitis with perforation, gangrene and/or periappendicular abscess formation.

RESULTS

A total of 1035 appendicectomies were performed with acute appendicitis confirmed in 860 (83%), of which 314 (37%) were classified as complicated appendicitis. Three hundred thirty-nine (35%) of the appendicitis cases had faecoliths (complicated 165/314 cases; 53%; uncomplicated 128/546; 23%, p < 0.001). The presence of a faecolith was associated with higher complications and a subsequent longer post-operative stay.

CONCLUSION

The rigorous methodology of this study has demonstrated a higher rate of faecolith presence in acute appendicitis than previously documented. It reinforces the association of faecoliths with a complicated disease course and the importance in prioritising emergency surgery and postoperative monitoring for complications.

Non-culture-based studies of the appendiceal microbiota: a systematic review

Aims: To review studies examining the appendiceal microbiota and microbial changes in acute appendicitis. Methods: After a systematic literature search, 11 studies examining the appendiceal microbiota (414 samples) using non-culture-based methods were included. Results: The appendiceal microbiota showed decreased α-diversity compared with fecal microbiota. Inflamed and uninflamed appendices showed differences in β-diversity, and there was an increased abundance of oral-associated bacteria in inflamed versus uninflamed appendices. Conclusion: The appendiceal microbiota exhibits lower α-diversity than the fecal microbiota, with an increased abundance of oral-associated bacteria. Compared with uninflamed appendices, the appendix microbiota in acute appendicitis also showed increased abundance of oral-associated bacteria, but no bacterial profile unique to either complicated or uncomplicated appendicitis was found.

Factors associated with recurrent appendicitis after nonoperative management

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study is to identify predictors for recurrent appendicitis in patients with appendicitis previously treated nonoperatively.

METHODS

This is a prospective cohort study of all adult patients with appendicitis treated at a tertiary care hospital. Patient demographics, radiographic information, management, and clinical outcomes were recorded. The primary outcome was recurrent appendicitis within 6 months after discharge from the index admission. Given the competing risk of interval appendectomy, a time-to-event competing-risk analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Of the 699 patients presenting with appendicitis, 74 were treated nonoperatively (35 [47%] were women; median [IQR] age, 48 [33,64] years), and 21 patients (29%) had recurrent appendicitis. On univariate and multivariate analysis, presence of an appendicolith on imaging was the only factor associated with a higher risk of recurrent appendicitis (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of appendicolith was associated with an increased risk of developing recurrent appendicitis within 6 months.

Infection or Inflammation: Are Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis, Acute Cholecystitis, and Acute Diverticulitis Infectious Diseases?

Background: It is recognized increasingly that common surgical infections of the peritoneal cavity may be treated with antibiotic agents alone, or source control surgery with short-course antimicrobial therapy. By extension, testable hypotheses have emerged that such infections may not actually be infectious diseases, but rather represent inflammation that can be treated successfully with neither surgery nor antibiotic agents. The aim of this review is to examine extant data to determine which of uncomplicated acute appendicitis (uAA), uncomplicated acute calculous cholecystitis (uACC), or uncomplicated mild acute diverticulitis (umAD) might be amenable to management using supportive therapy alone, consistent with the principles of antimicrobial stewardship. Methods: Review of pertinent English-language literature and expert opinion. Results: Only two small trials have examined whether uAA can be managed with observation and supportive therapy alone, one of which is underpowered and was stopped prematurely because of challenging patient recruitment. Data are insufficient to determine the safety and efficacy of non-antibiotic therapy of uAA. Uncomplicated acute calculous cholecystitis is not primarily an infectious disease; infection is a secondary phenomenon. Even when bactibilia is present, there is no high-quality evidence to suggest that mild disease should be treated with antibiotic agents. There is evidence to indicate that antibiotic prophylaxis is indicated for urgent/emergency cholecystectomy for uACC, but not in the post-operative period. Uncomplicated mild acute diverticulitis, generally Hinchey 1a or 1b in current nomenclature, does not benefit from antimicrobial agents based on multiple clinical studies. The implication is that umAD is inflammatory and not an infectious disease. Non-antimicrobial management is reasonable. Conclusions: Among the considered disease entities, the evidence is strongest that umAD is not an infectious disease and can be treated without antibiotic agents, intermediate regarding uACC, and lacking for uAA. A plausible hypothesis is that these inflammatory conditions are related to disruption of the normal microbiome, resulting in dysbiosis, which is defined as an imbalance of the natural microflora, especially of the gut, that is believed to contribute to a range of conditions of ill health. As for restorative pre- or probiotic therapy to reconstitute the microbiome, no recommendation can be made in terms of treatment, but it is not recommended for prevention of primary or recurrent disease.

A Video-Based Consent Tool: Development and Effect of Risk-Benefit Framing on Intention to Randomize

INTRODUCTION

Nearly 75% of clinical trials fail to enroll enough participants, and cohorts often fail to reflect the clinical and demographic diversity of at-risk populations. Effective recruitment strategies are critically important for successful clinical trials. Framing treatment risks are known to affect medical decision-making for both physicians and patients but has not been rigorously studied in surgical trials. We sought to examine the impact of a high-quality video-based consent tool and the effect of risk-benefit framing on patient willingness to participate in a surgical clinical trial.

METHODS

A standardized video consent was shown to all potential participants in the Comparison of Outcomes of antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial, a randomized controlled trial comparing antibiotics and surgery for acute appendicitis. We report (1) differences in recruitment between two versions of a video-based tool that differed in production quality and (2) the impact of risk-benefit framing on participant randomization rates. The reasons for declining randomization were also assessed.

RESULTS

Of 4697 eligible patients approached to participate in the CODA trial, 1535 (33% [95% confidence interval (CI): 31%-34%]) agreed to randomization; this did not change from video version 1 to version 2. There was no difference in participation between positively framed videos (32% [95% CI: 30%-34%]) versus negatively framed videos (33.0% [95% CI: 30.8-35.2]). The most common reason for declining participation was treatment preference (72% for surgery and 18% for antibiotics).

CONCLUSIONS

Neither the change from video 1 to video 2 nor the positive versus negative framing affected participant willingness to randomize. The stakeholder-informed video-based consenting tool used in CODA was an effective strategy for the recruitment of a heterogeneous patient population within the proposed study period.

Update on acute appendicitis: Typical and untypical findings

Acute appendicitis is the most common indication for emergency abdominal surgery throughout the world and a common reason for consultation in emergency departments. In recent decades, diagnostic imaging has played a fundamental role in identifying acute appendicitis, helping to reduce the rate of blind laparotomies and hospital costs. Given the results of clinical trials supporting the use of antibiotic therapy over surgical treatment, radiologists need to know the diagnostic criteria for complicated acute appendicitis to be able to recommend the best treatment option. This review aims not only to define the diagnostic criteria for appendicitis in different imaging modalities (ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging), but also to explain the diagnostic protocols, atypical presentations, and other conditions that can mimic appendicitis.

A shortened course of Amoxicillin/Clavulanate is the preferred antibiotic treatment after surgery for perforated appendicitis in children

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Despite evidence supporting short course outpatient antibiotic treatment following appendectomy for perforated appendicitis, evidence of real-world implementation and consensus for antibiotic choice is lacking. We therefore aimed to compare outpatient antibiotic treatment regimens in a national cohort.

METHODS

We identified children who underwent surgery for perforated appendicitis between 2010 and 2018 using the PearlDiver database and compared 45-day disease-specific readmission between children who received shortened (5-8 days) versus prolonged (10-14 day) total antibiotic courses (inpatient intravenous and/or oral) completed with outpatient Amoxicillin/Clavulanate versus Ciprofloxacin/Metronidazole, and compared antibiotic type (5-14 days) to each other.

RESULTS

4916 children were identified, 2001 (90.0%) treated with Amoxicillin/Clavulanate (5-14 days), 381 (19.0%) with shortened (5-8 days), 1464 (73.2%) with prolonged (10-14 days) courses. 222 (10.0%) were treated with Ciprofloxacin/Metronidazole, 44 (19.8%) with shortened, 174 (78.4%) with prolonged courses. Freedom from readmission was not different between prolonged and shortened course whether they received Amoxicillin/Clavulanate (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 1.54, 95%CI 0.95-2.5) or Ciprofloxacin/Metronidazole (AHR 3.49, 95%CI 0.45-27.3). Antibiotic type did not affect readmission rate (Amoxicillin/Clavulanate versus Ciprofloxacin/Metronidazole, AHR 1.21, 95%CI 0.71-2.05).

CONCLUSION

Prolonged antibiotic regimens are routinely prescribed despite evidence suggesting shorter courses and antibiotic choice are not associated with greater treatment failure. As it is better tolerated, we recommend a shortened course of Amoxicillin/Clavulanate for oral management of perforated appendicitis.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Oncological Safety and Potential Cost Savings of Routine vs Selective Histopathological Examination After Appendectomy: Results of the Multicenter, Prospective, Cross-Sectional FANCY Study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the oncological safety and potential cost savings of selective histopathological examination after appendectomy.

BACKGROUND

The necessity of routine histopathological examination after appendectomy has been questioned, but prospective studies investigating the safety of a selective policy are lacking.

METHODS

In this multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study, inspection and palpation of the (meso)appendix was performed by the surgeon in patients with suspected appendicitis. The surgeon's opinion on additional value of histopathological examination was reported before sending all specimens to the pathologist. Main outcomes were the number of hypothetically missed appendiceal neoplasms with clinical consequences benefiting the patient (upper limit two-sided 95% confidence interval below 3:1000 considered oncologically safe) and potential cost savings after selective histopathological examination.

RESULTS

Seven thousand three hundred thirty-nine patients were included. After a selective policy, 4966/7339 (67.7%) specimens would have been refrained from histopathological examination. Appendiceal neoplasms with clinical consequences would have been missed in 22/4966 patients. In 5/22, residual disease was completely resected during additional surgery. Hence, an appendiceal neoplasm with clinical consequences benefiting the patient would have been missed in 1.01:1000 patients (upper limit 95% confidence interval 1.61:1000). In contrast, twice as many patients (10/22) would not have been exposed to potential harm due to re-resections without clear benefit, whereas consequences were neither beneficial nor harmful in the remaining seven. Estimated cost savings established by replacing routine for selective histopathological examination were €725,400 per 10,000 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Selective histopathological examination after appendectomy for suspected appendicitis is oncologically safe and will likely result in a reduction of pathologists' workload, less costs, and fewer re-resections without clear benefit.

Patient and Hospital Characteristics Associated With Delayed Diagnosis of Appendicitis

Importance

Racial disparities in timely diagnosis and treatment of surgical conditions exist; however, it is poorly understood whether there are hospital structural measures or patient-level characteristics that modify this phenomenon.

Objective

To assess whether patient race and ethnicity are associated with delayed appendicitis diagnosis and postoperative 30-day hospital use and whether there are patient- or systems-level factors that modify this association.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This population-based, retrospective cohort study used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's state inpatient and emergency department (ED) databases from 4 states (Florida, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin) for patients aged 18 to 64 years who underwent appendectomy from January 7, 2016, to December 1, 2017. Data were analyzed from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2017.

Exposure

Delayed diagnosis of appendicitis, defined as an initial ED presentation with an abdominal diagnosis other than appendicitis followed by re-presentation within a week for appendectomy.

Main Outcomes and Measures

A mixed-effects multivariable Poisson regression model was used to estimate the association of delayed diagnosis of appendicitis with race and ethnicity while controlling for patient and hospital variables. A second mixed-effects multivariable Poisson regression model quantified the association of delayed diagnosis of appendicitis with postoperative 30-day hospital use.

Results

Of 80 312 patients who received an appendectomy during the study period (median age, 38 years [IQR, 27-50 years]; 50.8% female), 2013 (2.5%) experienced delayed diagnosis. In the entire cohort, 2.9% of patients were Asian or Pacific Islander, 18.8% were Hispanic, 10.9% were non-Hispanic Black, 60.8% were non-Hispanic White, and 6.6% were other race and ethnicity; most were privately insured (60.2%). Non-Hispanic Black patients had a 1.41 (95% CI, 1.21-1.63) times higher adjusted rate of delayed diagnosis compared with non-Hispanic White patients. Patients at hospitals with a more than 50% Black or Hispanic population had a 0.73 (95% CI, 0.59-0.91) decreased adjusted rate of delayed appendicitis diagnosis compared with hospitals with a less than 25% Black or Hispanic population. Conversely, patients at hospitals with more than 50% of discharges of Medicaid patients had a 3.51 (95% CI, 1.69-7.28) higher adjusted rate of delayed diagnosis compared with hospitals with less than 10% of discharges of Medicaid patients. Additional factors associated with delayed diagnosis included female sex, higher levels of patient comorbidity, and living in a low-income zip code. Delayed diagnosis was associated with a 1.38 (95% CI, 1.36-1.61) increased adjusted rate of postoperative 30-day hospital use.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, non-Hispanic Black patients had higher rates of delayed appendicitis diagnosis and 30-day hospital use than White patients. Patients presenting to hospitals with a greater than 50% Black and Hispanic population were less likely to experience delayed diagnosis, suggesting that seeking care at a hospital that serves a diverse patient population may help mitigate the increased rate of delayed diagnosis observed for non-Hispanic Black patients.

Were surgical outcomes for acute appendicitis impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare systems throughout the world. We examine whether appendectomy outcomes in 2020 and 2021 were affected by the pandemic.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 30-day appendectomy outcomes using the ACS-NSQIP database from 2019 through 2021. Logistic regression and linear regression analyses were performed to create models of post-operative outcomes.

RESULTS

There were no associations between the time period of surgery and death, readmission, reoperation, deep incisional SSI, organ space SSI, sepsis, septic shock, rate of complicated appendicitis, failure to wean from the ventilator, or days from admission to operation. During the first 21 months of the pandemic (April 2020 through December 2021), there was a decreased length of hospital stay (p = 0.016), increased operative time (p < 0.001), and increased likelihood of laparoscopic versus open surgery (p < 0.001) in compared to 2019.

CONCLUSIONS

There were minimal differences in emergent appendectomy outcomes during the first 21 months of the pandemic when compared to 2019. Surgical systems in the US successfully adapted to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ambulatory appendectomy for acute appendicitis: Can we treat all the patients? A prospective study of 451 consecutive ambulatory appendectomies out of nearly 2,000 procedures

BACKGROUND

Acute appendicitis represents the leading cause of acute gastrointestinal disorders, but only a small series regarding ambulatory appendectomies are available. The aim of this study was to report the results of ambulatory (day-case) appendectomy for acute appendicitis in a large consecutive cohort and to improve selection criteria in order to extend the indications.

METHODS

All appendectomy procedures for acute appendicitis (March 2013 to June 2020) were included retrospectively. Criteria to select patients eligible for ambulatory appendectomy were based on our clinico-radiological St-Antoine's score ≥4.

RESULTS

In total, 1,730 consecutive patients had an appendectomy for acute appendicitis: 1,279 (74%) in conventional settings and 451 (26%) in ambulatory settings. In the conventional group, 360 (28%) patients had surgery deferred to the next morning, whereas in the ambulatory group, 309 patients (70%) were readmitted the next morning (P < .0001). In the ambulatory group, 376 (83%) patients satisfied the criteria (score ≥4), and 90.9% were discharged on postoperative day 0. Rates of unplanned consultation and readmission were not significantly different (5.1% vs 6.6% P = .243). Multivariate analysis of the entire cohort confirmed absence of radiological perforation as highly predictive of early discharge (odds ratio = 6.073). In our cohort, these patients had an early discharge rate of 86.4% compared to 90.2% in those with a St-Antoine's score ≥4. Considering only radiological evidence of perforation as a selection criterion for ambulatory appendectomy, 581 more patients would be eligible for ambulatory surgery (+60%).

CONCLUSION

Ambulatory surgery for acute appendicitis based on St-Antoine's score is safe. We propose to extend the indication for ambulatory management to all patients without radiological evidence of perforation.

Evolving Management of Acute Mastoiditis: Analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System Database

OBJECTIVE

The optimal management of acute mastoiditis remains controversial. Most existing studies are retrospective single-institutional experiences with small cohorts. Our objectives were to analyze the treatment of acute mastoiditis by pediatric centers across the United States and changes in management over time.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective analysis.

SETTING

Administrative database study using Pediatric Health Information System.

METHODS

Patients ≤18 years of age who were admitted with a principal diagnosis of acute mastoiditis from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019 were included. Trends were assessed by Cochran-Armitage Trend Test. χ² and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare outcomes between the surgical and nonsurgical groups.

RESULTS

A total of 2170 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 1248 (57.5%) requiring surgical management. The rate of surgical procedures decreased significantly over time. The rate of myringotomy decreased from 64% in 2010 to 47% in 2019 (p < .001), and mastoidectomy decreased from 22% in 2010 to 10% in 2019 (p < .001). On admission, 29% of the cohort presented with mastoiditis-related complications. Patients treated surgically were younger (p < .001), more likely to present with complications (37.5% vs 17.5%, p < .001), required longer length of stay (3.7 vs 2.3 days, p < .001), and had higher intensive care unit utilization (8.6% vs 2.2%, p < .001). However, the rate of 30-day readmission, emergency department return, and in-hospital mortality were all similar.

CONCLUSION

Acute mastoiditis has been successfully treated with declining rates of a surgery over time. Younger patients who present with complications are more likely to be managed surgically, and the overall outcomes remain excellent.

Techniques for mesoappendix transection and appendix resection: insights from the ESTES SnapAppy study

INTRODUCTION

Surgically managed appendicitis exhibits great heterogeneity in techniques for mesoappendix transection and appendix amputation from its base. It is unclear whether a particular surgical technique provides outcome benefit or reduces complications.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We undertook a pre-specified subgroup analysis of all patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy at index admission during SnapAppy (ClinicalTrials.gov Registration: NCT04365491). We collected routine, anonymized observational data regarding surgical technique, patient demographics and indices of disease severity, without change to clinical care pathway or usual surgeon preference. Outcome measures of interest were the incidence of complications, unplanned reoperation, readmission, admission to the ICU, death, hospital length of stay, and procedure duration. We used Poisson regression models with robust standard errors to calculate incident rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Three-thousand seven hundred sixty-eight consecutive adult patients, included from 71 centers in 14 countries, were followed up from date of admission for 90 days. The mesoappendix was divided hemostatically using electrocautery in 1564(69.4%) and an energy device in 688(30.5%). The appendix was amputated by division of its base between looped ligatures in 1379(37.0%), with a stapler in 1421(38.1%) and between clips in 929(24.9%). The technique for securely dividing the appendix at its base in acutely inflamed (AAST Grade 1) appendicitis was equally divided between division between looped ligatures, clips and stapled transection. However, the technique used differed in complicated appendicitis (AAST Grade 2 +) compared with uncomplicated (Grade 1), with a shift toward transection of the appendix base by stapler (58% vs. 38%; p < 0.001). While no statistical difference in outcomes could be detected between different techniques for division of appendix base, decreased risk of any [adjusted IRR (95% CI): 0.58 (0.41-0.82), p = 0.002] and severe [adjusted IRR (95% CI): 0.33 (0.11-0.96), p = 0.045] complications could be detected when using energy devices.

CONCLUSIONS

Safe mesoappendix transection and appendix resection are accomplished using heterogeneous techniques. Technique selection for both mesoappendix transection and appendix resection correlates with AAST grade. Higher grade led to more ultrasonic tissue transection and stapled appendix resection. Higher AAST appendicitis grade also correlated with infection-related complication occurrence. Despite the overall well-tolerated heterogeneity of approaches to acute appendicitis, increasing disease acuity or complexity appears to encourage homogeneity of intraoperative surgical technique toward advanced adjuncts.

Is it possible to predict the severity of acute appendicitis? Reliability of predictive models based on easily available blood variables

INTRODUCTION

Recent evidence confirms that the treatment of acute appendicitis is not necessarily surgical, and selected patients with uncomplicated appendicitis can benefit from a non-operative management. Unfortunately, no cost-effective test has been proven to be able to effectively predict the degree of appendicular inflammation as yet, therefore, patient selection is too often left to the personal choice of the emergency surgeon. Our paper aims to clarify if basic and readily available blood tests can give reliable prognostic information to build up predictive models to help the decision-making process.

METHODS

Clinical notes of 2275 patients who underwent an appendicectomy with a presumptive diagnosis of acute appendicitis were reviewed, taking into consideration basic preoperative blood tests and histology reports on the surgical specimens. Variables were compared with univariate and multivariate analysis, and predictive models were created.

RESULTS

18.2% of patients had a negative appendicectomy, 9.6% had mucosal only inflammation, 53% had transmural inflammation and 19.2% had gangrenous appendicitis. A strong correlation was found between degree of inflammation and lymphocytes count and CRP/Albumin ratio, both at univariate and multivariate analysis. A predictive model to identify cases of gangrenous appendicitis was developed.

CONCLUSION

Low lymphocyte count and high CRP/Albumin ratio combined into a predictive model may have a role in the selection of patients who deserve appendicectomy instead of non-operative management of acute appendicitis.

Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of emergency surgery for adult emergency hospital admissions with common acute gastrointestinal conditions: the ESORT study

Background

Evidence is required on the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of emergency surgery compared with non-emergency surgery strategies (including medical management, non-surgical procedures and elective surgery) for patients admitted to hospital with common acute gastrointestinal conditions.

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate the relative (1) clinical effectiveness of two strategies (i.e. emergency surgery vs. non-emergency surgery strategies) for five common acute conditions presenting as emergency admissions; (2) cost-effectiveness for five common acute conditions presenting as emergency admissions; and (3) clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the alternative strategies for specific patient subgroups.

Methods

The records of adults admitted as emergencies with acute appendicitis, cholelithiasis, diverticular disease, abdominal wall hernia or intestinal obstruction to 175 acute hospitals in England between 1 April 2010 and 31 December 2019 were extracted from Hospital Episode Statistics and linked to mortality data from the Office for National Statistics. Eligibility was determined using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, diagnosis codes, which were agreed by clinical panel consensus. Patients having emergency surgery were identified from Office of Population Censuses and Surveys procedure codes. The study addressed the potential for unmeasured confounding with an instrumental variable design. The instrumental variable was each hospital’s propensity to use emergency surgery compared with non-emergency surgery strategies. The primary outcome was the ‘number of days alive and out of hospital’ at 90 days. We reported the relative effectiveness of the alternative strategies overall, and for prespecified subgroups (i.e. age, number of comorbidities and frailty level). The cost-effectiveness analyses used resource use and mortality from the linked data to derive estimates of incremental costs, quality-adjusted life-years and incremental net monetary benefits at 1 year.

Results

Cohort sizes were as follows: 268,144 admissions with appendicitis, 240,977 admissions with cholelithiasis, 138,869 admissions with diverticular disease, 106,432 admissions with a hernia and 133,073 admissions with an intestinal obstruction. Overall, at 1 year, the average number of days alive and out of hospitals at 90 days, costs and quality-adjusted life-years were similar following either strategy, after adjusting for confounding. For each of the five conditions, overall, the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) around the incremental net monetary benefit estimates all included zero. For patients with severe frailty, emergency surgery led to a reduced number of days alive and out of hospital and was not cost-effective compared with non-emergency surgery, with incremental net monetary benefit estimates of –£18,727 (95% CI –£23,900 to –£13,600) for appendicitis, –£7700 (95% CI –£13,000 to –£2370) for cholelithiasis, –£9230 (95% CI –£24,300 to £5860) for diverticular disease, –£16,600 (95% CI –£21,100 to –£12,000) for hernias and –£19,300 (95% CI –£25,600 to –£13,000) for intestinal obstructions. For patients who were ‘fit’, emergency surgery was relatively cost-effective, with estimated incremental net monetary benefit estimates of £5180 (95% CI £684 to £9680) for diverticular disease, £2040 (95% CI £996 to £3090) for hernias, £7850 (95% CI £5020 to £10,700) for intestinal obstructions, £369 (95% CI –£728 to £1460) for appendicitis and £718 (95% CI £294 to £1140) for cholelithiasis. Public and patient involvement translation workshop participants emphasised that these findings should be made widely available to inform future decisions about surgery.

Limitations

The instrumental variable approach did not eliminate the risk of confounding, and the acute hospital perspective excluded costs to other providers.

Conclusions

Neither strategy was more cost-effective overall. For patients with severe frailty, non-emergency surgery strategies were relatively cost-effective. For patients who were fit, emergency surgery was more cost-effective.

Future work

For patients with multiple long-term conditions, further research is required to assess the benefits and costs of emergency surgery.

Study registration

This study is registered as reviewregistry784.

Funding

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (IHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme and will be published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 11, No. 1. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Endoscopic Retrograde Appendicitis Therapy: Is it Really a Need of the Hour?

ABSTRACT

Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) has emerged as a promising, non-invasive treatment for acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AUA). ERAT involves cannulation, appendicography, appendiceal stone extraction, appendiceal lumen irrigation, and stent deployment. Recent randomized trials comparing ERAT to laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) have provided promising results in terms of safety and efficacy of ERAT. If the current trajectory of research and development is maintained, ERAT will likely become a strong contender for the standard of care for AUA. Standardized training and credentialing for ERAT, akin to procedures established for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, will be pivotal to global adoption of this modality.

Conservative antibiotic treatment of pediatric acute uncomplicated appendicitis during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective comparative cohort study

BACKGROUND

Our study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes and cost-efficiency of antibiotic management versus laparoscopic appendectomy for acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AUA) in children during the COVID-19 pandemic when resources were limited and transmission risks uncertain.

METHOD

In this prospective comparative cohort study, we analyzed the data of 139 children diagnosed with AUA meeting the following inclusion criteria: 5-18 years of age, symptoms duration of ≤ 48 h, appendix diameter ≤ 11 mm and no appendicolith. Treatment outcomes between non-operative management group (78/139) and upfront laparoscopic appendectomy group (61/139) were compared. Antibiotic regimes were intravenous ceftriaxone/metronidazole or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid for 48 h, followed by oral antibiotics to complete total 10-days course.

RESULTS

8/78 (10.3%) children had early failure (within 48 h) requiring appendectomy. 17/70 (24.3%) patients experienced late recurrence within mean follow-up time of 16.2 ± 4.7 months. There were no statistical differences in peri-operative complications, negative appendicectomy rate, and incidence of perforation and hospitalization duration between antibiotic and surgical treatment groups. Cost per patient in upfront surgical group was significantly higher ($6208.5 ± 5284.0) than antibiotic group ($3588.6 ± 3829.8; p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Despite 24.3% risk of recurrence of appendicitis in 16.2 ± 4.7 months, antibiotic therapy for AUA appears to be a safe and cost-effective alternative to upfront appendectomy.

Fatal sepsis from appendicitis caused by an impacted tooth

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdominal pain globally. The pathophysiology of acute appendicitis is due to occlusion of the appendiceal lumen commonly from a faecolith. Obstruction of the appendiceal lumen by ingested foreign bodies is possible albeit rare. Here, we present an extremely rare case of acute appendicitis caused by impaction of the patients tooth within the lumen of the appendix. There have been only seven reported cases of impacted teeth causing appendicitis in the literature. There are no evidence-based guidelines for the management of appendicitis caused by tooth impaction. The authors suggest operative management with appendicectomy should be considered in the first instance.

The clinical characteristics and outcomes of appendicitis in a population with a high HIV-infection prevalence

•

Many African countries have a high HIV-infection prevalence. Appendicitis is one of the common emergencies and its incidence is increasing in Africa.

•

Literatures documenting the comparative demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of appendicitis between HIV-infected and non-infected patients are limited in Africa.

•

This study, conducted in an African country, informs the stakeholders in Botswana and other African countries with a similar setup on the demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of appendicitis patients with HIV-infection, and it helps to design a relevant research and approach to patient management.

Introduction

Method

Results

Conclusion

Is it time for global adoption of endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy of acute appendicitis?

Acute appendicitis is a common abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. Abraham Groves performed the first documented open appendectomy in 1883. Although appendectomy is still the most effective treatment in cases of acute appendicitis, it causes a range of complications and carries the risk of negative appendectomy. In the awake of covid-19, the latest guidelines recommend antibiotic therapy as an acceptable first line treatment for acute appendicitis. However, patients treated with antibiotics have a recurrence risk of up to 30% at 1 year. Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) has emerged as promising non-invasive treatment modality for acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AUA) which involves cannulation, appedicography, appendiceal stone extraction, appendiceal lumen irrigation, and stent insertion. ERAT aims to relieve the cause of appendicitis (e.g., obstruction or stenosis of the appendiceal lumen) and thus effectively prevent the recurrence of appendicitis. In addition, it can make a definitive diagnosis of acute appendicitis during endoscopic retrograde appendicography. Studies have shown that 93.8 to 95% of AUA patients did not have a recurrence following ERAT. In this study, we aim to summarize the current body of evidence on ERAT to situate it alongside currently established therapies for acute appendicitis, in particular, AUA.

Association of Patient Belief About Success of Antibiotics for Appendicitis and Outcomes: A Secondary Analysis of the CODA Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

A patient's belief in the likely success of a treatment may influence outcomes, but this has been understudied in surgical trials.

Objective

To examine the association between patients' baseline beliefs about the likelihood of treatment success with outcomes of antibiotics for appendicitis in the Comparison of Outcomes of Antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a secondary analysis of the CODA randomized clinical trial. Participants from 25 US medical centers were enrolled between May 3, 2016, and February 5, 2020. Included in the analysis were participants with appendicitis who were randomly assigned to receive antibiotics in the CODA trial. After informed consent but before randomization, participants who were assigned to receive antibiotics responded to a baseline survey including a question about how successful they believed antibiotics could be in treating their appendicitis.

Interventions

Participants were categorized based on baseline survey responses into 1 of 3 belief groups: unsuccessful/unsure, intermediate, and completely successful.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Three outcomes were assigned at 30 days: (1) appendectomy, (2) high decisional regret or dissatisfaction with treatment, and (3) persistent signs and symptoms (abdominal pain, tenderness, fever, or chills). Outcomes were compared across groups using adjusted risk differences (aRDs), with propensity score adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical factors.

Results

Of the 776 study participants who were assigned antibiotic treatment in CODA, a total of 425 (mean [SD] age, 38.5 [13.6] years; 277 male [65%]) completed the baseline belief survey before knowing their treatment assignment. Baseline beliefs were as follows: 22% of participants (92 of 415) had an unsuccessful/unsure response, 51% (212 of 415) had an intermediate response, and 27% (111 of 415) had a completely successful response. Compared with the unsuccessful/unsure group, those who believed antibiotics could be completely successful had a 13-percentage point lower risk of appendectomy (aRD, -13.49; 95% CI, -24.57 to -2.40). The aRD between those with intermediate vs unsuccessful/unsure beliefs was -5.68 (95% CI, -16.57 to 5.20). Compared with the unsuccessful/unsure group, those with intermediate beliefs had a lower risk of persistent signs and symptoms (aRD, -15.72; 95% CI, -29.71 to -1.72), with directionally similar results for the completely successful group (aRD, -15.14; 95% CI, -30.56 to 0.28).

Conclusions and Relevance

Positive patient beliefs about the likely success of antibiotics for appendicitis were associated with a lower risk of appendectomy and with resolution of signs and symptoms by 30 days. Pathways relating beliefs to outcomes and the potential modifiability of beliefs to improve outcomes merit further investigation.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02800785.

The Efficacy of Conservative Management in Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis - A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Background Acute appendicitis remains the most common cause of lower abdominal pain leading to emergency visits. Even though the standard treatment of acute appendicitis remains appendectomy, in recent times, multiple randomized control trials and meta-analyses have deduced conservative treatment as a successful alternative treatment. During the coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic, with a shortage of staff and resources, treatment with conservative management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis became very beneficial under certain circumstances and conditions. This study aimed to assess whether it is effective to manage patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis with antibiotic therapy. Methodology This was a single hospital based retrospective, cross-sectional study from Jan 2015 to May 2020. Patients with clinical and radiological features of uncomplicated acute appendicitis with Alvarado's score >6 were included in the study. Patients were kept on antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and analgesia as part of a conservative regime. Those who failed to respond to conservative therapy were managed surgically. The follow-up period was six months. Results One hundred eighty-two cases of uncomplicated acute appendicitis were included and managed conservatively, of which 52.2% were males while 47.8% were females. The median age of the patients was 26 years. Conservative treatment was successful in 26.2% of the patients, with a recurrence of 5.5% in the six-month follow-up period. The mean number of days of hospital stay was three days in patients treated with conservative or surgical treatment. Conclusion Conservative management is gaining popularity, and many centers are inclined towards non-operative management; however, appendectomy remains the gold standard treatment for appendicitis.

Non-operative management of acute appendicitis in children

Appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies in children and adults. Appendectomy as the standard care has been challenged in the recent years with growing evidence about non-operative treatment as a potential primary treatment in patients presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute appendicitis. This review aims to establish where the recent research stands regarding conservative treatment of acute appendicitis, especially in children. There are several studies that report the potential safety and efficacy of treating acute appendicitis non-operatively. Several studies have challenged the concept of acute appendicitis being a progressive disease that always ends in perforation, rather than a disease that can present as different forms with only a defined number of cases progressing to perforation. The lack of randomized controlled studies is a limitation and well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the role of non-operative management of acute appendicitis in children.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Incidence, Severity, and Management of Acute Appendicitis: A Single Center Experience in Thailand

PURPOSE

For more than two years since the COVID-19 pandemic, human lives have changed, including the healthcare system. Management of acute appendicitis, the most common emergency surgical disease, has been inevitably affected. This study aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incident rate of complicated appendicitis, management, outcome, and complication of acute appendicitis. Patients and Methods. This study was a retrospective cohort study comparing 574 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis before the COVID-19 outbreak and 434 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis during the COVID-19 outbreak. Patient demographic data, type of appendicitis, type of treatment, time to surgery, length of stay, cost, and complications were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis was reduced. CT scan usage for diagnosis was increased compared to pre-COVID-19. Most patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis received operative treatment in both groups. Median time to surgery was significantly longer during the COVID-19 pandemic, 11.93 hours compared to 9.62 hours pre-COVID-19, p-value <0.001 (relative risk 1.5, 95% CI 1.29-1.76, p value 0.041). The incidence of complicated appendicitis was not higher during COVID-19. Compared to pre-COVID-19, ICU admission rate, the use of a mechanical ventilator, length of stay, and cost increased in the univariate analysis but were not statistically significant in the multivariate analyses. Other treatment complications had no statistically significant difference.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of complicated appendicitis did not increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. The operation waiting time significantly increased but did not increase the rate of treatment complications in a well-prepared hospital system.

Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) vs appendectomy for acute uncomplicated appendicitis: A prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy and feasibility of endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) with appendectomy for treating acute uncomplicated appendicitis.

METHODS

This was a prospective multicenter randomized trial in which consecutive patients were randomized at a ratio of 1:1 to receive either ERAT or appendectomy. The outcomes included technical success rate, procedure time, postoperative pain relief, postoperative analgesic use, time to soft diet intake, length of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications, and recurrence rate.

RESULTS

From August 2013 to December 2015, 110 patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis were randomized to ERAT or appendectomy. The technical success rate was 94.55% for ERAT compared with 100% for appendectomy. Recurrence of appendicitis within 3-year follow-up occurred in 8 patients following ERAT. Postoperative abdominal pain was less frequent with ERAT than with appendectomy (21.15% [11/52] vs 87.27% [48/55], P < 0.001). Soft diet intake begun earlier after ERAT than appendectomy (6 h vs 48 h, P < 0.001), and post-procedure hospital stay was shorter (3 days vs 5 days, P < 0.001), as was the use of analgesics postoperatively (9.09% vs 49.09%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

ERAT is a feasible, safe, and effective alternative approach for the management of acute uncomplicated appendicitis. Compared with appendectomy, advantages of ERAT include no skin wound, organ preservation, reduced postoperative pain, early food intake, quick recovery, fewer postoperative complications, and shorter post-procedure hospitalization. The unsolved problem related to ERAT is the recurrence of appendicitis.

Decision-making changes for patients and medical personnel in the management of acute appendicitis during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdomen. During the pandemic, to contain the spread of COVID-19, there were some integral changes in the medical processes based on the pandemic prevention policy, especially regarding emergency surgery. This study was conducted to investigate whether this pandemic also impacted the decision-making for both patients and medical personnel along with the treatment outcomes.

METHODS

Patients of age 18 years or older who were diagnosed clinically and radiologically with acute appendicitis between Jan 1, 2017, and Dec 31, 202,0 were reviewed. The data of 1991 cases were collected and used for this study. Two groups were formed, one group before and the other group after the outbreak. The gathered data included gender, age, appendiceal fecalith, outcomes of treatment, and long-term outcomes of non-operation (8 months follow-up). We also collected details of surgical cases from the above two groups. This data also included age, gender, appendiceal fecalith, fever, jaundice, length of onset before presenting to an emergency department (ED), anesthesia, surgery, white cell count, pathology, complications, and length of stay. We compared the above data respectively and analyzed the differences.

RESULTS

Compared to the period before the outbreak, patient visits for acute appendicitis remarkably dropped (19.8%), but surgical cases showed no change (dropped by roughly 5%). There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in failure of non-operation(after the pandemic 8.31% vs. before pandemic 3.22%), interval appendectomy(after pandemic 6.29% vs. before pandemic 12.84%), recurrence(after pandemic 23.27% vs. before pandemic 14.46%), and outcomes of recurrence. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in anesthesia method, surgery way, and complications( before pandemic 4.15% vs. after pandemic9.89% P < 0.05) in patients who underwent the surgery. There was no statistical difference (P > 0.05) concerning age, gender, fever, jaundice, appendiceal fecalith, white cell count, and length of onset before presenting to the ED.

CONCLUSION

The current pandemic prevention policy is very effective, but some decision-making processes of doctor-patient have changed in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, that further influenced some treatment outcomes and might lead to a potential economic burden. It is essential to address the undue concern of everyone and optimize the treatment process.

Appendiceal microbiome in uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis: A prospective cohort study

Background

Uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis seem to be two different forms of this common abdominal emergency. The contribution of appendiceal microbiota to appendicitis pathogenesis has been suggested, but differences between uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis are largely unknown. We compared the appendiceal microbiota in uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis.

Methods

This prospective single-center clinical cohort study was conducted as part of larger multicenter MAPPAC trial enrolling adult patients with computed tomography or clinically confirmed uncomplicated or complicated acute appendicitis. The microbial composition of the appendiceal lumen was determined using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.

Results

Between April 11, 2017, and March 29, 2019, 118 samples (41 uncomplicated and 77 complicated appendicitis) were available. After adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, alpha diversity in complicated appendicitis was higher (Shannon p = 0.011, Chao1 p = 0.006) compared to uncomplicated appendicitis. Microbial compositions were different between uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis (Bray-Curtis distance, P = 0.002). Species poor appendiceal microbiota composition with specific predominant bacteria was present in some patients regardless of appendicitis severity.

Conclusion

Uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis have different appendiceal microbiome profiles further supporting the disconnection between these two different forms of acute appendicitis.

Study registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03257423.

Comparación de la seguridad y la eficacia del uso de antibióticos frente a la apendicectomía en el tratamiento de la apendicitis no complicada en adultos. Revisión sistemática y metaanálisis

Introducción. La apendicitis aguda es una emergencia quirúrgica frecuente, en la cual el tratamiento de tipo conservador basado en antibióticos se ha identificado como una opción terapéutica que necesita seguir siendo estudiada. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar las diferencias en seguridad y eficacia del uso de antibióticos en comparación con la apendicectomía en adultos con apendicitis no complicada. Métodos. Revisión sistemática y metaanálisis. Se encontraron 452 estudios; después de una selección, 45 se evaluaron en texto completo y 15 para calidad metodológica; 11 estudios fueron seleccionados y 9 incluidos en el metaanálisis. Resultados. Se contó con 3186 participantes, de los cuales 1512 fueron tratados con terapia antibiótica y 1674 sometidos a apendicectomía. Se identificó estancia hospitalaria más corta en los pacientes sometidos a apendicectomía (SMD: 0,28; IC95%: 0,14 a 0,41). Para los pacientes tratados con terapia antibiótica, se evidenció puntajes de riesgo menores en las escalas de diagnóstico de apendicitis (SMD: -0,13; IC95%: -0,22 a -0,04), menor éxito terapéutico en un 16 % (RR: 0,84; IC95%: 0,77 a 0,92) y reducción del riesgo de complicaciones del 63 % (RR: 0,37; IC95%: 0,25 a 0,53). Se encontró alta heterogeneidad y riesgo de sesgo de publicación. Conclusiones. La terapia antibiótica necesita mayor evidencia para desenlaces como calidad de vida, satisfacción, dolor, o complicaciones específicas, entre otros, que permitan hacer comparaciones más contundentes. Los pacientes que consideren el manejo conservador necesitan ser adecuadamente asesorados y monitorizados para optimizar sus posibilidades de resultados favorables y la oportuna identificación de complicaciones que necesiten de otros abordajes.

Acute appendicitis in children: Reexamining indications for conservative treatment - A large prospective analysis

INTRODUCTION

Conservative antibiotic treatment (CAT) for uncomplicated acute appendicitis (AUA) in children has been proven safe and efficacious. However, as data accumulate, high rates of recurrent appendicitis and subsequent appendectomy have been reported. This prospective longitudinal study evaluated risk-factors for recurrent AUA after CAT in a large cohort, with long-term follow-up.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Children ages 5 to 16 years admitted to the Department of Pediatric Surgery from 2014 through 2018, diagnosed with AUA were eligible for CAT. We recorded their age, appendix outer diameter, white blood cell counts, C-reactive protein and other related signs and symptoms associated with AUA. Clinical and ultrasonographic follow-up was carried out until follow-up data collection ceased according to the study design (2014-2019).

RESULTS

The cohort included 646 children who were initially treated successfully with CAT. Among them, 180 (28%) were readmitted for recurrent acute appendicitis during the follow-up period and 138 (21%) eventually had appendectomy. Overall success of 79% for CAT was recorded in this cohort. A multivariable model including; age, sex, appendiceal diameter, WBC and CRP, found the factors of older age, larger outer appendiceal diameter and high WBC counts significantly related to appendectomy during the follow-up period. We offer a decision tree model to predict appendectomy probabilities for patients based on their prognostic measurements.

CONCLUSION

CAT in AUA in children should consider older age, larger outer appendiceal diameter and high WBC counts as risk-factors for recurrent AUA and subsequent appendectomy. The proposed decision tree model may help both clinicians and parents before CAT is chosen.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 2.

Potential therapeutic effects of ethyl pyruvate in an experimental rat appendicitis model

BACKGROUND

Pathophysiology of appendicitis is associated with the underlying inflammatory processes. Ethyl pyruvate (EP) has potent antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of EP on the treatment of appendicitis and to examine whether adding EP to the antibiotic treatment could increases the effectiveness of the treatment in a rat appendicitis model.

METHOD

Thirty two Wistar rats, which had previously created appendicitis, were randomly divided into 4 groups: Group 1 (0.1 ml saline solution), Group 2 (15 mg/kg ceftriaxone), Group 3 (50 mg/kg EP), Group 4 (EP 50 mg/kg + ceftriaxone 15 mg/kg). In all groups, saline solution, ceftriaxone and EP were administered intraperitoneally and the same procedure was repeated twice a day for the following five days. On day 6, the rats underwent relaparotomy and then intraabdominal findings were recorded. Histopathological examination and interleukin 6 (IL 6) level were performed on appendiceal specimens.

RESULTS

Intra abdominal adhesion score was significantly lower in Group 4 than in Group 1. Total inflammation score was significantly lower in Group 2 than in Group 1 and was significantly lower in Group 4 than in Group 3 and 1. IL 6 level was significantly lower in Group 4 than in Group 3 and 1.

CONCLUSION

We found that adding EP to the antibiotic therapy increased the efficacy of the treatment in the rat appendicitis model. Further studies are required to apply our findings to the clinical setting.

The Prognostic Value of Ultrasound Findings in Preoperatively Distinguishing between Uncomplicated and Complicated Types of Pediatric Acute Appendicitis Based on Correlation with Intraoperative and Histopathological Findings

OBJECTIVE

This study compares the preoperative ultrasound findings of all children with a clinical picture of acute appendicitis on the basis of intraoperative and histopathological findings to assess the feasibility of this approach in preoperatively distinguishing between uncomplicated and complicated cases.

METHODS

This retrospective study includes 224 pediatric patients who underwent ultrasound prior to appendectomy at our institution between January 2016 and February 2022. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between sonographic and intraoperative histopathological findings.

RESULTS

Of the 224 participants, 61.1% were intraoperatively diagnosed with uncomplicated appendicitis (59.8% male). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that patients with a higher appendiceal diameter, presence of appendicolith, and peritonitis were more likely to suffer from complicated appendicitis. Finally, the common anatomical position of the appendix and an appendiceal diameter greater than 6 mm had the highest sensitivity (94.6% and 94.5%, respectively) for predicting complicated appendicitis, with the most specific (99.3%) sonographic finding being the existence of an abscess.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative abdominal ultrasound in children with a clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis can distinguish between uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis in most cases of pediatric appendicitis. A higher appendiceal diameter, the presence of appendicolith, and peritonitis are parameters noted by ultrasound that strongly predict complicated appendicitis.

Complex And Simple Appendicitis: REstrictive or Liberal postoperative Antibiotic eXposure (CASA RELAX) using Desirability of Outcome Ranking (DOOR) and Response Adjusted for Duration of Antibiotic Risk (RADAR): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Objectives

After appendectomy for simple or complicated appendicitis, the optimal duration of postoperative antibiotics (postop abx) is unclear and great practice variability exists. We propose to compare restrictive versus liberal postop abx using a hierarchical composite endpoint which includes patient-centered outcomes and accounts for duration of antibiotic exposure.

Methods/Design

Participants with simple or complicated appendicitis undergoing appendectomy are randomly assigned to either restricted or liberal strategy. Eligible subjects declining randomization will be recruited to enroll in an observation only cohort. The primary endpoint is an ordinal scale of mutually exclusive clinical outcomes with within-category rankings determined by duration of antibiotic exposure. Subjects in both randomized and observation only cohorts will be analyzed as intention-to-treat, per-protocol, and as-treated. Exploratory Bayesian analyses will be performed.

Conclusion

The complex and simple appendicitis: restrictive or liberal postoperative antibiotic exposure multicenter randomized controlled trial will enroll surgical appendectomy patients and seeks to analyze if a strategy of restricted (compared with liberal) postoperative antibiotics results in similar clinical outcomes with the benefit of reduced antibiotic exposure.

Trial registration number

NCT05002829.

Identifying Recurrence Risk Factors in CT-Confirmed Acute Appendicitis in Adults Managed Non-operatively During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background/Objective: Acute appendicitis (AA) is predominantly managed with appendectomy, but can be treated non-operatively, leading to a high risk of recurrence. Non-operative management has been more common since the COVID-19 pandemic affected the feasibility of performing surgery. This case-control study analyzed non-operatively managed patients in order to identify clinical and radiological factors associated with recurrence risk. 

Methods: Over 12 months, 48 adults with CT-proven AA managed non-operatively were identified, and followed up for at least six further months to assess them for recurrence (readmission to hospital more than 14 days after discharge and after symptom resolution, requiring treatment for appendicitis). Clinical and CT data were collected and a Cox regression survival analysis was performed to produce hazards ratios (HRs).

Results: Of the 48 patients, 12 (25%) experienced a recurrence up until the end of the follow-up period, eight of whom were then treated operatively, and four treated non-operatively. On the univariate analysis, greater recurrence risk was observed in patients with diabetes mellitus, higher heart rate (on admission and maximum value during admission), lower white cell count and neutrophils and appendiceal wall thinning on CT. On the multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus (HR=7.72, p=0.021) and higher heart rate (HR=1.08, p=0.018) were associated with statistically significant greater recurrence risk.

Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus and higher heart rate on admission are associated with greater recurrence risk of AA managed non-operatively. No CT findings were associated with statistically significant greater risk. Clinicians should, therefore, consider DM and heart rate when making decisions on appendicitis management, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic but also beyond it.

CT scans do not reliably identify appendicoliths in acute appendicitis

Background

Both the CODA trial and the 2020 WSES Jerusalem guidelines concluded that nonoperative management of appendicitis (NOMA) was non-inferior for uncomplicated appendicitis but appendicoliths increase risk for complications. Thus "Appendicoliths on CT" are a relative contraindication to NOMA but accuracy of CT in identifying appendicoliths is just assumed.

Materials and methods

We conducted an EMR review of 1552 appendectomy patients, who had pre-operative CT scans for suspected acute appendicitis from 2001-2019. Two radiologists reinterpreted images from 2011 and 2019 for presence of appendicoliths. Appendicoliths identified on CT were compared to appendicoliths in corresponding pathology specimens. Cohorts A (2001-10) & B (2011-19) were created on account of changes in CT scanners. PPV, NPV, sensitivity and specificity rates were calculated for contemporaneous readings and for 2011 and 2019 reinterpretations.

Results

397 CT scans were read as positive for appendicoliths; 167 for A, 230 for B. 246 corresponding specimens had appendicoliths. PPV was 62% overall; 69% for A, 57% for B. 1155 scans were negative for appendicoliths. 191 corresponding specimens had appendicoliths; NPV was 83% overall; 80% for A, 87% for B. 447 specimens had appendicoliths; only 246 were identified by CT. Sensitivity was 55% overall; 48% for A, 66% for B. Specificity was 86% overall (964/1115); 91% for A, 82% for B. Radiologist accuracies varied.

Conclusions

Complicated appendicitis is often associated with appendicoliths. The assumption that CT identification of appendicoliths is reliable is unsupported by this study. CT finding of an appendicolith should not be used to exclude patients from antibiotics treatment but rather used in the shared decision-making conversation about management with patients.

Nonoperative vs Operative Management of Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance

Appendectomy remains the standard of care for uncomplicated acute appendicitis despite several randomized clinical trials pointing to the safety and efficacy of nonoperative management of this disease. A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials may contribute to the body of evidence and help surgeons select which patients may benefit from surgical and nonsurgical treatment.

Objective

To assess the efficacy and safety of nonoperative management vs appendectomy for acute uncomplicated appendicitis.

Data Sources

A systematic review was conducted using indexed sources (Embase and PubMed) to search for published randomized clinical trials in English comparing nonoperative management with appendectomy in adult patients presenting with uncomplicated acute appendicitis. To increase sensitivity, no limits were set for outcomes reported, sex, or year of publication. All nonrandomized or quasi-randomized trials were excluded, and validated primers were used.

Study Selection

Among 1504 studies imported for screening, 805 were duplicates, and 595 were excluded for irrelevancy. A further 96 were excluded after full-text review, mainly owing to wrong study design or inclusion of pediatric populations. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were selected for the meta-analysis.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Meta-extraction was conducted with independent extraction by multiple reviewers using the Covidence platform for systematic reviews and in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Data were pooled by a random-effects model.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Treatment success and major adverse effects at 30 days' follow-up.

Results

The main outcome (treatment success proportion at 30 days of follow-up) was not significantly different in the operative and nonoperative management cohorts (risk ratio [RR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.66-1.11). Likewise, the percentage of major adverse effects was similar in both cohorts (RR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.29-1.79). However, in the nonoperative management group, length of stay was significantly longer (RR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.26-1.70), and a median cumulative incidence of 18% of recurrent appendicitis was observed.

Conclusions and Relevance

These results point to the general safety and efficacy of nonoperative management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis. However, this strategy may be associated with an increase in duration of hospital stay and a higher rate of recurrent appendicitis. This meta-analysis may help inform decision-making in nonoperative management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis.

Evolving Trends in the Management of Acute Appendicitis During COVID-19 Waves: The ACIE Appy II Study

BACKGROUND

In 2020, ACIE Appy study showed that COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA) worldwide, with an increased rate of non-operative management (NOM) strategies and a trend toward open surgery due to concern of virus transmission by laparoscopy and controversial recommendations on this issue. The aim of this study was to survey again the same group of surgeons to assess if any difference in management attitudes of AA had occurred in the later stages of the outbreak.

METHODS

From August 15 to September 30, 2021, an online questionnaire was sent to all 709 participants of the ACIE Appy study. The questionnaire included questions on personal protective equipment (PPE), local policies and screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection, NOM, surgical approach and disease presentations in 2021. The results were compared with the results from the previous study.

RESULTS

A total of 476 answers were collected (response rate 67.1%). Screening policies were significatively improved with most patients screened regardless of symptoms (89.5% vs. 37.4%) with PCR and antigenic test as the preferred test (74.1% vs. 26.3%). More patients tested positive before surgery and commercial systems were the preferred ones to filter smoke plumes during laparoscopy. Laparoscopic appendicectomy was the first option in the treatment of AA, with a declined use of NOM.

CONCLUSION

Management of AA has improved in the last waves of pandemic. Increased evidence regarding SARS-COV-2 infection along with a timely healthcare systems response has been translated into tailored attitudes and a better care for patients with AA worldwide.

Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on rates of emergency department utilization and hospital admission due to general surgery conditions

BACKGROUND

Recent literature reports a decrease in healthcare-seeking behaviours by adults during the Covid-19 pandemic. Given that emergency general surgery (GS) conditions are often associated with high morbidity and mortality if left untreated, the objective of this study was to describe and quantify the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on rates of emergency department (ED) utilization and hospital admission due to GS conditions.

METHODS

This cohort study involved the analysis of an institutional database and retrospective chart review. We identified adult patients presenting to the ED in a network of three teaching hospitals in Montreal, Canada during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic (March13-May13, 2020) and a control pre-pandemic period (March13-May13, 2019). Patients with GS conditions were included in the analysis. ED utilization rates, admission rates and 30-day outcomes were compared between the two periods using multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

During the pandemic period, 258 patients presented to ED with a GS diagnosis compared to 351 patients pre-pandemically (adjusted rate ratio (aRR) 0.75; p < 0.001). Rate of hospital admission during the pandemic was also significantly lower (aRR = 0.77, p < 0.001). Patients had a significantly shorter ED stay during the pandemic (adjusted mean difference 5.0 h; p < 0.001). Rates of operative management during the pandemic were preserved compared to the pre-pandemic period. There were no differences in 30-day complications (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.46; p = 0.07), ED revisits (aOR 1.10; p = 0.66) and (re)admissions (aOR 1.42; p = 0.22) between the two periods.

CONCLUSION

There was a decrease in rates of ED utilization and hospital admissions due to GS conditions during the first wave of the Covid -19 pandemic; however, rates of operative management, complications and healthcare reutilization were unchanged. Although our findings are not generalizable to patients who did not seek healthcare, it was possible to successfully uphold institutional standards of care once patients presented to the ED.