Appendicitis

BACKGROUND: Surgery is indicated for acute uncomplicated appendicitis but the optimal timing is controversial. Recent literature is conflicting on the effect of time to intervention. METHODS: We queried the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project dataset for patients undergoing laparoscopic and open appendectomy between 2007 and 2012. Logistic regression was used to evaluate 30-day morbidity and mortality of intervention at different time periods, adjusting for preoperative risk factors...

INTRODUCTION: Ultrasonography is a commonly used investigation in the UK for patients with right iliac fossa pain where the diagnosis of appendicitis is unclear. The published sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography is higher than the results observed by clinicians in every day practice. The aim of this study was to elucidate the real-world value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of appendicitis, and its impact on negative appendicectomy rates (NAR). METHODS: A retrospective multicentre audit was conducted at three UK hospitals over a twelve month period in 2012...