Treatment of perforated appendicitis: an analysis of 362 patients treated during 8 years.
METHODS
In a retrospective study 2,351 records from patients who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis during 1986-1993 were analysed. During this period, there were 362 patients with perforated appendicitis. The aim of this study was to analyse the complication rate, the period of antibiotic treatment and whether the complication rate decreased when intravenous treatment was followed by oral antibiotic treatment.


RESULTS
The complication frequency was 18% which was significantly higher than that for non-perforated appendicitis of 10%. The complication rate was 15% in the group receiving additional oral antibiotics compared to 19% in the group receiving only intravenous antibiotics. This difference is not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Perforated appendicitis is however still associated with increased mortality and morbidity.
Styrud
J
J
Department of Surgery, Karolinska Institutet at Danderyd Hospital, Danderyd, Sweden.
Eriksson
S
S
Granström
L
L
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents