Increased use of pre-operative imaging and laparoscopy has no impact on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing appendicectomy

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to review changes in the management of acute appendicitis in a ten-year period at a large university teaching hospital in London.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study reviewing the medical records of patients who underwent an appendicectomy over a period of 12 months either in 1999 or 2009. Data collected included use of radiological investigations (ultrasonography, computed tomography [CT]), technique of appendicectomy (open [OA] or laparoscopic [LA]), operative time, histopathology and post-operative complications. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to assess the influence of variables on the incidence of negative appendicectomy, appendiceal perforation and post-operative complications.

RESULTS

All of the patients operated on in 1999 (n=109) had OA. Of the patients operated on in 2009 (n=164), 67 had OA, 91 had LA and 6 had LA converted to OA.None of the patients in 1999 had CT whereas in 2009 26% of patients had CT (sensitivity 94.7%, specificity 75.0%). This increased use of pre-operative imaging had no effect on negative appendicectomy (25.7% vs 12.8%, p=0.445), perforation (30.0% vs 21.3%, p=0.308) or complication rates (9.2% vs 10.4%). The complication rate was also similar regardless of whether patients had OA or LA (11.9% vs 9.9%). Multivariate analysis revealed that age was the only predictor of negative appendicectomy (p=0.029) or perforation (p=0.014).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that significant increase in the use of pre-operative imaging and laparoscopy in the management of patients with acute appendicitis failed to reduce negative appendicectomy, perforation and complications rates. The patient''s age was the only predictor of negative appendicectomy and perforation.     

Role of the faecolith in modern-day appendicitis

Introduction

The prevailing view on appendicitis is that the main aetiology is obstruction owing to faecoliths in adults and lymphoid hyperplasia in children. Faecoliths on imaging studies are believed to correlate well with appendicitis.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted of 1,014 emergency appendicectomy patients between 2001 and 2011. Faecolith prevalence in adult and paediatric appendicectomy specimens with and without perforation was studied. The sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of computed tomography (CT) for identifying faecoliths in the pathology specimen were examined.

Results

Overall, faecoliths were found in 18.1% (178/986) of appendicitis specimens and 28.6% (8/28) of negative appendicectomies. Faecolith prevalence for positive cases was 29.9% (79/264) in paediatric patients and 13.7% (99/722) in adults (p<0.05). Faecolith prevalence was 39.4% in perforated appendicitis but only 14.6% in non-perforated appendicitis (p<0.05). In adults, faecolith prevalence was 27.5% in perforated appendicitis and 12.0% in non-perforated appendicitis (p<0.05) while in paediatric patients, it was 56.1% in perforated appendicitis and 22.7% in non-perforated appendicitis (p=0.00). Sensitivity and PPV of preoperative CT in identifying faecoliths on pathology were 53.1% (86/162) and 44.8% (86/192) respectively.

Conclusions

Faecolith prevalence is too low to consider the faecolith the most common cause of non-perforated appendicitis. Faecoliths are more prevalent in paediatric appendicitis than in adult appendicitis. Preoperative CT is an unreliable predictor of faecoliths in pathology specimens.     

The impact of an acute care surgery clinical care pathway for suspected appendicitis on the use of CT in the emergency department

Background

The natural evolution of an acute care surgery (ACS) service is to develop disease-specific care pathways aimed at quality improvement. Our primary goal was to evaluate the implementation of an ACS pathway dedicated to suspected appendicitis on patient flow and the use of computed tomography (CT) in the emergency department (ED).

Methods

All adults within a large health care system (3 hospitals) with suspected appendicitis were analyzed during our study period, which included 3 time periods: pre-and postimplementation of the disease-specific pathway and at 12-month follow-up.

Results

Of the 1168 consultations for appendicitis that took place during our study period, 349 occurred preimplementation, 392 occurred postimplementation, and 427 were follow-up visits. In all, 877 (75%) patients were admitted to the ACS service. Overall, 83% of patients underwent surgery within 6 hours. The mean wait time from CT request to obtaining the CT scan decreased with pathway implementation at all sites (197 v. 143 min, p < 0.001). This improvement was sustained at 12-month follow-up (131 min, p < 0.001). The pathway increased the number of CTs completed in under 2 hours from 3% to 42% (p < 0.001). No decrease in the total number of CTs or the pattern of ultrasonography was noted (p = 0.42). Wait times from ED triage to surgery were shortened (665 min preimplementation, 633 min postimplementation, 631 min at the 12-month follow-up, p = 0.040).

Conclusion

A clinical care pathway dedicated to suspected appendicitis can decrease times to both CT scan and surgical intervention.     

Laparoscopic versus open appendectomy: a prospective randomized trial of 81 patients

Objective

To compare the efficacy of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) and open appendectomy (OA) in the treatment of acute appendicitis.

Design

A prospective randomized trial.

Setting

A university teaching hospital.

Patients

Eighty-one patients with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis were prospectively randomized to undergo either LA or OA. The two groups were matched for age and sex.

Interventions

LA or OA.

Main Outcome Measures

Number of days in hospital and time to full recovery.

Results

The mean hospital stay for LA was 3.23 days compared with 3.03 days for OA (p < 0.001). The mean number of narcotic injections required for patients in the LA group was 4.05 compared with 5.58 for patients in the OA group (p < 0.001). The mean time to complete recovery for patients in the LA group was 9.0 days compared with 16.2 days for patients in the OA group (p < 0.001). The mean operative time for LA was 73.8 minutes compared with 45.0 minutes for OA (p < 0.001). Three patients in the LA group had intra-abdominal abscesses (p > 0.25). No significant difference in wound infection rates was demonstrated (p > 0.05). Similarly, pain scores at 7 and 28 days showed no significant difference (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

With LA significantly fewer narcotic injections are required and there is a more rapid return to normal activities. LA takes longer to perform and was associated with three intra-abdominal abscesses. In cases of simple acute appendicitis the hospital stay for LA is significantly shorter.     

The value of hyperbilirubinaemia in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis

INTRODUCTION

No reliably specific marker for acute appendicitis has been identified. Although recent studies have shown hyperbilirubinaemia to be a useful predictor of appendiceal perforation, they did not focus on the value of bilirubin as a marker for acute appendicitis. The aim of this study was to determine the value of hyperbilirubinaemia as a marker for acute appendicitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of appendicectomies performed in two hospitals (n=472). Data collected included laboratory and histological results. Patients were grouped according to histology findings and comparisons were made between the groups.

RESULTS

The mean bilirubin levels were higher for patients with simple appendicitis compared to those with a non-inflamed appendix (p<0.001). More patients with simple appendicitis had hyperbilirubinaemia on admission (30% vs 12%) and the odds of these patients having appendicitis were over three times higher (odds ratio: 3.25, p<0.001). Hyperbilirubinaemia had a specificity of 88% and a positive predictive value of 91% for acute appendicitis. Patients with appendicitis who had a perforated or gangrenous appendix had higher mean bilirubin levels (p=0.01) and were more likely to have hyperbilirubinaemia (p<0.001). The specificity of hyperbilirubinaemia for perforation or gangrene was 70%. The specificities of white cell count and C-reactive protein were less than hyperbilirubinaemia for simple appendicitis (60% and 72%) and perforated or gangrenous appendicitis (19% and 36%).

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperbilirubinaemia is a valuable marker for acute appendicitis. Patients with hyperbilirubinaemia are also more likely to have appendiceal perforation or gangrene. Bilirubin should be included in the assessment of patients with suspected appendicitis.     

Single-incision versus conventional laparoscopic appendectomy in 688 patients: a retrospective comparative analysis

Background

Laparoscopic surgery has become the standard for treating appendicitis. The cosmetic benefits of using single-incision laparoscopy are well known, but its duration, complications and time to recovery have not been well documented. We compared 2 laparoscopic approaches for treating appendicitis and evaluated postoperative pain, complications and time to full recovery.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the cases of consecutive patients with appendicitis and compared those who underwent conventional laparoscopic appendectomy (CLA) performed using 3 incisions and those who underwent single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA). During SILA, the single port was prepared to increase visibility of the operative site.

Results

Our analysis included 688 consecutive patients: 618 who underwent CLA and 70 who underwent SILA. Postsurgical complications occurred more frequently in the CLA than the SILA group (18.1% v. 7.1%, p = 0.018). Patients who underwent SILA returned to oral feeding sooner than those who underwent CLA (median 12 h v. 22 h, p < 0.001). These between-group differences remained significant after controlling for other factors. Direct comparison of only nonperforated cases, which was determined by pathological examination, revealed that SILA was significantly longer than CLA (60 min v. 50 min, p < 0.001). Patients who underwent SILA had longer in-hospital stays than those who underwent CLA (72 v. 55 h, p < 0.001); however, they had significantly fewer complications (3.0% v. 14.4%, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

In addition to its cosmetic advantages, SILA led to rapid recovery and no increase in postsurgical pain or complications.     

SINGLE-INCISION VIDEOLAPAROSCOPIC APPENDECTOMY WITH CONVENTIONAL VIDEOLAPAROSCOPY EQUIPMENT

Background

Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in daily practice, and is approached laparoscopically in many centers. Efforts have been undertaken for the development of minimally invasive techniques that reduce tissue trauma and offer improved cosmetic results, one of such being the single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS).

Aim

To present a minimally invasive technique for appendectomy (SILS) undertaken with conventional instruments.

Method

Eleven patients were treated in the emergency care center presenting abdominal pain in the right iliac fossa that was suggestive of appendicitis. Diagnostic investigation was subsequently conducted, including physical examination, laboratory and imaging exams (CT scan with intravenous contrast or total abdominal ultrasound), and the results were consistent with acute appendicitis. Thus, after consent, these patients underwent SILS appendectomy under general anesthesia with three trocars (two 10 mm and one 5 mm), using conventional and optical laparoscopic tweezers (10 mm, 30º). The base and pedicle of the appendix were ligated with titanium LT 400 clips. The procedure occurred uneventfully. Inclusion criteria were absence of diffuse peritonitis, BMI (body mass index) less than 35 and absence of serious comorbidities or sepsis.

Results

Seven men and four women were operated with average age of 25.7 years and underwent appendectomy through this technique. Mean procedure duration was of 37.2 min. Regarding surgical findings, three had appendicitis in stage 1, four in stage 2 and four in stage 3. All patients improved well, without surgical complications, and did not require conversion to open surgery or conventional laparoscopy technique.

Conclusion

Appendectomy conducted through Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery is a feasible and promising technique that can be performed with conventional laparoscopic instruments.     

Negative appendicectomy rate as a quality metric in the management of appendicitis: impact of computed tomography, Alvarado score and the definition of negative appendicectomy

INTRODUCTION

The negative appendicectomy rate (NAR) is a quality metric in the management of appendicitis. While computed tomography (CT) has been associated with a low NAR, Alvarado scoring produces an acceptable NAR. The definition of negative appendicectomy may affect the NAR. This study examined the impact of CT, Alvarado score and definition on the NAR.

METHODS

The charts of 1,306 emergency appendicectomy patients from 1996 to 2010 were reviewed. Three five-year cohorts were created (Cohort A: 1996–2000, Cohort B: 2001–2005, Cohort C: 2006–2010) and the NAR was calculated for each cohort using two definitions of negative appendicectomy: absence of inflammation (NAR-STD) and absence of intramural neutrophils (NAR-STR). NAR-STD was correlated to the CT rate for Cohorts B and C and also to Alvarado score for Cohort C.

RESULTS

When the definition of negative appendicectomy was changed, the NAR rose from 9.2% to 15.8% (p=0.0097) for Cohort A, from 2.8% to 8.6% (p=0.0180) for Cohort B (CT rate: 80.6%) and from 3.0% to 6.7% (p=0.0255) for Cohort C (CT rate: 92.4%). The introduction of CT lowered NAR-STD from 1996–2000 (9.2%) to 2001–2010 (2.9%) but increasing the CT rate from 2001–2010 had no impact on the NAR. The positive predictive value for Alvarado score (98.60%) and CT (99.03%) were similar.

CONCLUSIONS

The definition of a negative appendicectomy determines the NAR. CT reduces the NAR regardless of definition but routine CT is unnecessary for male patients with positive Alvarado scores. Early/mild appendicitis may resolve without surgery and CT may contribute to unnecessary surgery. Alvarado scoring allows selective use of CT in suspected appendicitis.     

The influence of age on the severity of peritonitis

Objective

To evaluate the influence of age on the evolution and severity of peritonitis.

Design

A chart review.

Setting

An adult university hospital.

Patients

One hundred and twenty-two patients with acute appendicitis and 100 patients with acute colonic diverticulitis requiring operation or percutaneous drainage.

Main Outcome Measures

Patient age and sex, presence of perforation or gangrene (appendicitis), extent of peritonitis (diverticulitis); duration of symptoms prior to admission; admission leukocyte count; duration of hospitalization before surgery; length of hospital stay; and death rate.

Results

Patients with acute appendicitis who were aged 65 years or older were three times more likely than younger patients to have a gangrenous or perforated appendix (odds ratio 3.1, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 8.4, p < 0.05); older patients with perforated diverticulitis were three times more likely than younger patients to have generalized peritonitis than localized (pericolic or pelvic) peritonitis (odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 7.5, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the biologic features of peritonitis differ in the elderly, who are more likely to present with an advanced or severe process than young patients.     

Appendiceal diverticulum associated with chronic appendicitis

INTRODUCTION

Appendiceal diverticulosis is a rare entity, with a global incidence between 0.004% and 2.1% of all appendectomies. It has been related with an elevated risk of perforation in comparison to acute appendicitis, as well as an increased risk for synchronic appendicular cancer in 48% of the cases, and colonic cancer in 43%. The incidence of chronic appendicitis has been reported in 1.5% of all appendicitis cases.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We present a 73-year-old female, with no relevant familial history, who presented due to a four-month-long oppressive, moderate pain in the lower right abdominal quadrant without irradiation or any other accompanying symptoms.

DISCUSSION

The documented incidence of appendiceal diverticula and chronic appendicitis by themselves is low; therefore the presence of both entities at the same time is extremely rare.

CONCLUSION

We present a case in which both diagnoses concurred in the same patient. The relevance of this case relies on the importance of the adequate knowledge of these pathologies, so we can approach them correctly. Although it does not represent an absolute surgical emergency, appendectomy represents the first therapeutic option.     

Amebiasis presenting as acute appendicitis: Report of a case and review of Japanese literature

INTRODUCTION

Outside of these high-risk regions, acute amebic appendicitis is considerably rarer and the mortality rate is much higher than with non-amebic appendicitis.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 31-year-old woman presented with fever and right lower abdominal pain with no history of traveling abroad or sexual infection. Computed tomography revealed a dilated appendix and thickened cecal and ascending colon walls. She underwent an appendectomy for appendicitis. Owing to a lack of symptom resolution, we performed a pathologic examination of the appendix again that revealed multiple Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites; the serum amebic antibody was positive. She was treated postoperatively with metronidazole for amebiasis and discharged on postoperative day 12.

DISCUSSION

The mortality rate and frequency of severe postoperative intraabdominal complications were higher in the Japanese literature (1995–2013) (25% and 33%, respectively) than in other developed countries (3.3% and 19.4%, respectively). Japan is a low-risk area for amebiasis; many physicians fail to consider amebiasis in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen. It is important to conduct further examinations, including those for amebiasis, when appendectomy does not resolve acute appendicitis.

CONCLUSION

We report a case of acute amebic appendicitis in a 31-year-old woman and review the ages at presentation, causative factors, treatments, and outcomes of 11 cases reported in Japan between 1995 and 2013.     

A Comparison of Laparoscopic and Open Appendectomy

Background and Objectives:

To compare laparoscopic appendectomy with traditional open appendectomy.

Methods:

Seventy-one patients requiring operative intervention for suspected acute appendicitis were prospectively compared. Thirty-seven patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy, and 34 had open appendectomy through a right lower quadrant incision. Length of surgery, postoperative morbidity and length of postoperative stay (LOS) were recorded. Both groups were similar with regard to age, gender, height, weight, fever, leukocytosis, and incidence of normal vs. gangrenous or perforated appendix.

Results:

Mean LOS was significantly shorter for patients with acute suppurative appendicitis who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy (2.5 days vs. 4.0 days, p<0.01). Mean LOS was no different when patients classified as having gangrenous or perforated appendicitis were included in the analysis (3.7 days vs. 4.1 days, P=0.11). The laparoscopy group had significantly longer surgery times (72 min vs. 58 min, p<0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative morbidity.

Conclusions:

Laparoscopic appendectomy reduces LOS as compared with the traditional open technique in patients with acute suppurative appendicitis. The longer operative time for the laparoscopic approach in our study is likely related to the learning curve associated with the procedure and did not increase morbidity.     

Meckel's diverticulum with small bowel obstruction presenting as appendicitis in a pediatric patient

Background:

Meckel''s diverticulum is a congenital anomaly resulting from incomplete obliteration of the omphalomesenteric duct. The incidence ranges from 0.3% to 2.5% with most patients being asymptomatic. In some cases, complications involving a Meckel''s diverticulum may mimic other disease processes and obscure the clinical picture.

Methods:

This case presents an 8-year-old male with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting and an examination resembling appendicitis.

Results:

A CT scan revealed findings consistent with appendicitis with dilated loops of small bowel. During laparoscopic appendectomy, the appendix appeared unimpressive, and an inflamed Meckel''s diverticulum was found with an adhesive band creating an internal hernia with small bowel obstruction. The diverticulum was resected after the appendix was removed.

Conclusion:

The incidence of an internal hernia with a Meckel''s diverticulum is rare. A diseased Meckel''s diverticulum can be overlooked in many cases, especially in those resembling appendicitis. It is recommended that the small bowel be assessed in all appendectomy cases for a pathological Meckel''s diverticulum.     

Incidental Appendectomy During Endoscopic Surgery

Background and Objectives:

The first laparoscopic appendectomy was performed over 25 years ago, and yet controversy still exists over the open method vs. the laparoscopic approach, and whether an incidental appendectomy is warranted. This study aimed to evaluate our experience in performing a laparoscopic incidental appendectomy and to address these issues.

Methods:

A total of 772 laparoscopic appendectomies were performed and analyzed and statistically evaluated.

Results:

Mean age of the patients was 30.8±7.0 years. Mean operating time for an incidental appendectomy was 12.3±4.5 minutes. Most common pathology result was adhesions, and the rarest was endometriosis. Of patients with confirmed appendicitis, 75.8% did not have an initial preoperative diagnosis of appendicitis. When warranted, 103 (13.3%) patients underwent a second-look laparoscopy: 75.5% had no adhesions, 23.5% had mild adhesions, 2% had moderate adhesions. Backward elimination logistic regression revealed that endometriosis (P=0.016), endometrioma (P=0.039), pelvic or abdominal adhesions (P=0.015) were associated with a reduced likelihood of encountering appendicitis on pathology examination. The complication rate was 0.13%. Anesthesia cost was lower for an incidental appendectomy compared with an urgent one.

Conclusion:

Laparoscopic incidental appendectomy is safe and quick to perform. Due to the complex nature of confirming the diagnosis of pelvic and abdominal pain, this study supports the routine performance of an incidental appendectomy in the female patient.     

To CT or not to CT? The influence of computed tomography on the diagnosis of appendicitis in obese pediatric patients

Background

Appendicitis is a common pediatric query. However, obesity often results in nondiagnostic ultrasounds and increased likelihood of abdominal computed tomography (CT). Concern regarding radiation exposure led the Canadian Association of Radiologists to recommend foregoing CT when ultrasounds are nondiagnostic and clinical suspicion is high. We evaluated this recommendation by quantifying the influence of CT on the diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis.

Methods

We performed a 2-year retrospective case series of children presenting with suspected appendicitis. We stratified patients by weight (obese v. nonobese) and pediatric appendicitis score (PAS) and examined how often they received abdominal CT, why they received it, and its influence on diagnosis.

Results

Of 223 patients (84 obese, 139 nonobese), 54 received CT. Obese patients received CTs more frequently than nonobese patients (29% v. 22%). The most common reason for CT was a nondiagnostic ultrasound (75% in obese, 80% in nonobese patients). Sixty-five percent of CTs obtained after nondiagnostic ultrasounds confirmed the initial diagnosis, but the rates were 80% and 50%, respectively, when only obese and only nonobese patients were considered. Obese patients were 4 times more likely to have a CT confirming their initial appendicitis diagnosis.

Conclusion

Because obese patients are more likely than nonobese patients to have a CT that confirms appendicitis, when treating an obese pediatric patient with suspected appendicitis and a nondiagnostic ultrasound, surgeons with a high clinical suspicion should strongly consider foregoing CT and proceeding with treatment.     

Risk of perforation increases with delay in recognition and surgery for acute appendicitis

Background

Appendicitis remains a common indication for urgent surgical intervention in the United States, and early appendectomy has long been advocated to mitigate the risk of appendiceal perforation. To better quantify the risk of perforation associated with delayed operative timing, this study examines the impact of length of inpatient stay preceding surgery on rates of perforated appendicitis in both adults and children.

Methods

This study was a cross-sectional analysis using the National Inpatient Sample and Kids’ Inpatient Database from 1988–2008. We selected patients with a discharge diagnosis of acute appendicitis (perforated or nonperforated) and receiving appendectomy within 7 d after admission. Patients electively admitted or receiving drainage procedures before appendectomy were excluded. We analyzed perforation rates as a function of both age and length of inpatient hospitalization before appendectomy.

Results

Of 683,590 patients with a discharge diagnosis of appendicitis, 30.3% were recorded as perforated. Over 80% of patients underwent appendectomy on the day of admission, approximately 18% of operations were performed on hospital days 2–4, and later operations accounted for <1% of cases. During appendectomy on the day of admission, the perforation rate was 28.8%; this increased to 33.3% for surgeries on hospital day 2 and 78.8% by hospital day 8 (P < 0.001). Adjusted for patient, procedure, and hospital characteristics, odds of perforation increased from 1.20 for adults and 1.08 for children on hospital day 2 to 4.76 for adults and 15.42 for children by hospital day 8 (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Greater inpatient delay before appendectomy is associated with increased perforation rates for children and adults within this population-based study. These findings align with previous studies and with the conventional progressive pathophysiologic appendicitis model. Randomized prospective studies are needed to determine which patients benefit from nonoperative versus surgically aggressive management strategies for acute appendicitis.     

Stump appendicitis: a surgeon's dilemma

Background:

Stump appendicitis is defined by the recurrent inflammation of the residual appendix after the appendix has been only partially removed during an appendectomy for appendicitis. Forty-eight cases of stump appendicitis were identified in the English literature.

Database:

The institutional CPT codes were evaluated for multiple hits of the appendectomy code, yielding a total of 3 patients. After appropriate approval from an internal review board, a retrospective chart review was completed and all available data extracted. All 3 patients were diagnosed with stump appendicitis, ranging from 2 months to 20 years after the initial procedure. Two patients underwent a laparoscopic and the one an open completion appendectomy. All patients did well and were discharged home in good condition.

Conclusion:

Surgeons need a heightened awareness of the possibility of stump appendicitis. Correct identification and removal of the appendiceal base without leaving an appendiceal stump minimizes the risk of stump appendicitis. If a CT scan has been obtained, it enables exquisite delineation of the surrounding anatomy, including the length of the appendiceal remnant. Thus, we propose that unless there are other mitigating circumstances, the completion appendectomy in cases of stump appendicitis should also be performed laparoscopically guided by the CT findings.     

Monopolar electrocautery versus ultrasonic dissection of the gallbladder from the gallbladder bed in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled trial

Background

Ultrasonic dissection has been suggested as an alternative to monopolar electrocautery in laparoscopic cholecystectomy because it generates less tissue damage and may have a lower incidence of gallbladder perforation. We compared the 2 methods to determine the incidence of gallbladder perforation and its intraoperative consequences.

Methods

We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial between July 2008 and December 2009 involving adult patients with symptomatic gall stone disease who were eligible for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Patients were randomly assigned before administration of anesthesia to electrocautery or ultrasonic dissection. Both groups were compared for incidence of gallbladder perforation during dissection, bile leak, stones spillage, lens cleaning, duration of surgery and estimation of risk of gall-bladder in the presence of complicating factors.

Results

We included 60 adult patients in our study. The groups were comparable with respect to demographic characteristics, symptomatology, comorbidities, previous abdominal surgeries, preoperative ultrasonography findings and intraoperative complications. The overall incidence of gallbladder perforation was 28.3% (40.0% in the electrocautery v. 16.7% in the ultrasonic dissection group, p = 0.045). Bile leak occurred in 40.0% of patients in the electrocautery group and 16.7% of patients in ultrasonic group (p = 0.045). Lens cleaning time (p = 0.015) and duration of surgery (p = 0.001) were longer in the electrocautery than the ultrasonic dissection group. There was no statistical difference in stone spillage between the groups (p = 0.62).

Conclusion

Ultrasonic dissection is safe and effective, and it improves the operative course of laparoscopic cholecystectomy by reducing the incidence of gallbladder perforation.     

The optimal initial management of children with suspected appendicitis: a decision analysis

Background/purpose

As abdominal imaging has improved, the use of computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US) for evaluating children with suspected appendicitis has increased. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal management strategy for evaluating children with suspected appendicitis given the current accuracy of abdominal imaging.

Methods

Decision analysis was used to evaluate 5 management strategies: discharge, observation, CT, US, and appendectomy. Probabilities and time variables were obtained from publications and a chart review. Each approach was evaluated for its impact on length of stay, hospital charges, cost effectiveness and its capacity to minimize perforation and avoid negative appendectomy (risk-benefit).

Results

Discharge was preferred when the probability of appendicitis was low (<0.09 to <0.47), imaging when in an intermediate range and surgery when high (>0.61 to >0.91). A role for observation was found only when the anticipated time of inpatient observation was brief (<9 hours). Although CT was more expensive than US, CT was more cost effective for preventing negative appendectomy and perforation and achieved a better risk-benefit.

Conclusions

CT has an important role in the management of suspected appendicitis. Among children with a low or high likelihood of appendicitis, the cost of imaging tests required to prevent the complications of appendicitis is high.     

Open appendectomy for pediatric ruptured appendicitis: a historical clinical review of the prophylaxis of wound infection and postoperative intra-abdominal abscess

Background

We conducted a 3-decade clinical review of prophylaxis for wound infection and postoperative intra-abdominal abscess after open appendectomy for pediatric ruptured appendicitis.

Methods

We reviewed the charts of patients with ruptured appendicitis who underwent open appendectomy performed by the same pediatric surgeon at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada between 1969 and 2003, inclusive. We evaluated 3 types of prophylaxis: subcutaneous (SC) antibiotic powder, peritoneal wound drain and intravenous (IV) antibiotics. We divided the sample into 4 treatment groups: peritoneal wound drain alone (group 1); peritoneal wound drain, SC antibiotic powder and IV antibiotics (group 2); SC antibiotic powder and IV antibiotics (group 3); and IV antibiotics alone (group 4). We used the χ² test with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons.

Results

There were 496 patients: 348 (70%) boys and 148 (30%) girls, with a mean age of 7 (range newborn to 17) years. There were 90 (18%) wound infections. Compared with the current standard of practice, IV antibiotics alone (group 4), peritoneal wound drain (group 1) was associated with the lowest number of wound infections (7 [7%], p = 0.023). There were 43 (9%) postoperative intra-abdominal abscesses. Compared with IV antibiotics alone, SC antibiotic powder with IV antibiotics (group 3) was associated with the lowest number of postoperative intra-abdominal abscesses (14 [6%], p = 0.06).

Conclusion

Over a 35-year period of open appendectomy for pediatric ruptured appendicitis, wound infection was least frequent in patients who received prophylactic peritoneal wound drain, and postoperative intra-abdominal abscess was least frequent in those who received prophylactic SC antibiotic powder and IV antibiotics.