title: Postoperative antibiotics are not associated with decreased wound complications among patients undergoing appendectomy for complicated appendicitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to determine the role of postoperative antibiotics in reducing complications in patients undergoing appendectomy for complicated appendicitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a 5-year retrospective cohort study of adult patients who underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis. Patients with complicated appendicitis (perforated or gangrenous) were analyzed on the basis of whether they received postoperative antibiotics. Main outcome measures were wound complications, length of stay (LOS), and readmission to hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 410 patients with complicated appendicitis, postoperative antibiotics were administered to 274 patients (66.8%). On univariate and multivariate analyses, postoperative antibiotics were not associated with decreased wound complications or readmission, but independently predicted an increased LOS (P = .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients with complicated appendicitis, postoperative antibiotics were not associated with a decrease in wound complications but did result in an increased hospital LOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA. Electronic address: dekim@dhs.lacounty.gov.
authors.forename: Dennis Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
authors.forename: Nariman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nassiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Darin J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Saltzman
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ferebee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ian T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Macqueen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alipour
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Amy H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kaji
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
authors.forename: Ashkan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moazzez
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Plurad
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Virgilio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Appendicitis; Complicated; Complications; Gangrenous; Perforated; Postoperative Antibiotics