title: The influence of age, duration of symptoms and duration of operation on outcome after appendicitis in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of any perioperative parameters on the outcome of treatment for appendicitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 108 consecutive children with appendicitis. Data were retrieved from files using the codes for appendectomy of the Nordic Classification of Surgical Procedures and the diagnosis codes for appendicitis from the International Classification of Dis-eases (ICD) 10. A non-satisfactory outcome was defined as a post-operative length of stay in hospital ≥ 5 days and/or readmission due to complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly more patients with a non-satisfactory outcome had complicated appendicitis (73%) compared with those with a satisfactory outcome (25%). A total of 78% of children < 6 years and 44% of children > 10 years had a non-satisfactory outcome. The duration of symptoms before operation was mean 2.8 days for children with a non-satisfactory outcome and 2.7 days for those with complicated appendicitis compared with 1.5 days for children with a satisfactory outcome and 1.6 days for those with simple appendicitis. The median difference was two days in the younger patients. Surgical time was significantly shorter in the group of patients with a satisfactory outcome and in those with simple appendicitis than in the other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complicated appendicitis and a non-satisfactory outcome in children after operation are associated with a long preoperative duration of symptoms, young age and long surgical time. A cut-off age has not been established, but young children might benefit from direct referral and access to hospitalization in a regional or tertiary paediatric surgical centre.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  not relevant.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  not relevant.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. sandra_bech_larsen@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sandra Julia
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bech-Larsen
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lalla
authors.forename: Jørgen M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Thorup
mesh_terms: D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000209:etiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D001065:Appendix / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005734:Gangrene / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D010359:Patient Readmission; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D016896:Treatment Outcome