Initial laparoscopic appendectomy versus initial nonoperative management and interval appendectomy for perforated appendicitis with abscess: a prospective, randomized trial.
BACKGROUND
Perforated appendicitis is a common condition in children, which, in a small number of patients, may be complicated by a well-formed abscess. Initial nonoperative management with percutaneous drainage/aspiration of the abscess followed by intravenous antibiotics usually allows for an uneventful interval appendectomy. Although this strategy has become well accepted, there are no published data comparing initial nonoperative management (drainage/interval appendectomy) to appendectomy upon presentation with an abscess. Therefore, we conducted a randomized trial comparing these 2 management strategies.


METHODS
After internal review board approval (#06 11-164), children who presented with a well-defined abdominal abscess by computed tomographic imaging were randomized on admission to laparoscopic appendectomy or intravenous antibiotics with percutaneous drainage of the abscess (when possible), followed by interval laparoscopic appendectomy approximately 10 weeks later. This was a pilot study with a sample size of 40, which was based on our recent volume of patients presenting with appendicitis and abscess.


RESULTS
On presentation, there were no differences between the 2 groups regarding age, weight, body mass index, sex distribution, temperature, leukocyte count, number of abscesses, or greatest 2-dimensional area of abscess in the axial view. Regarding outcomes, there were no differences in length of total hospitalization, recurrent abscess rates, or overall charges. There was a trend toward a longer operating time in patients undergoing initial appendectomy (61 minutes versus 42 minutes mean, P = .06).


CONCLUSIONS
Although initial laparoscopic appendectomy trends toward a requiring longer operative time, there seems to be no advantages between these strategies in terms of total hospitalization, recurrent abscess rate, or total charges.
St Peter
Shawn D
SD
Center for Prospective Clinical Trials, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA. sspeter@cmh.edu
Aguayo
Pablo
P
Fraser
Jason D
JD
Keckler
Scott J
SJ
Sharp
Susan W
SW
Leys
Charles M
CM
Murphy
J Patrick
JP
Snyder
Charles L
CL
Sharp
Ronald J
RJ
Andrews
Walter S
WS
Holcomb
George W
GW
Ostlie
Daniel J
DJ
D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000379:methods*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents