Effects of delaying appendectomy for acute appendicitis for 12 to 24 hours.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether delaying appendectomy for 12 hours to avoid disturbing the operating room schedule and to minimize the number of operations during the night negatively affects the outcome of patients with acute appendicitis.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Large teaching community hospital.


METHODS
The medical records of 380 patients who underwent appendectomies between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2004, were reviewed. Patients proven to have an inflamed appendix on the pathological report were divided into 2 groups. The early group comprised patients who had undergone appendectomies within 12 hours of presentation to the emergency department, including patients with generalized sepsis. The late group comprised patients who had undergone appendectomies more than 12 to 24 hours after presentation.


METHODS
Length of stay, operative time, and the rate of perforations and complications.


METHODS
Laparoscopic or open appendectomies.


RESULTS
There were 309 patients included in our study. There were no statistically significant differences between the early and late groups in the length of stay, operative time, the percentage of advanced appendicitis, or the rate of complications.


CONCLUSIONS
In selected patients, delaying appendectomies for acute appendicitis for 12 to 24 hours after presentation does not significantly increase the rate of perforations, operative time, or length of stay. It decreases the use of the nursing staff, anesthesia team, and surgical house staff during the night shifts, and it decreases the interruption of the regular operating room schedule.
Abou-Nukta
Fadi
F
Department of Surgery, Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven, Conn 06511, USA. fadinukta@yahoo.com
Bakhos
Charles
C
Arroyo
Kervin
K
Koo
Young
Y
Martin
Jeremiah
J
Reinhold
Randolph
R
Ciardiello
Kenneth
K
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000379:methods*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome