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PubMed1981

Granulomatous appendicitis.

Granulomatous appendicitis as an isolated pathologic entity unassociated with systemic disease is extremely rare. Many such cases in the past have been called "primary tuberculous appendicitis." Others have been called "chronic appendicitis" or "Crohn's disease." Recent information indicates that Yersinia pseudotuberculous bacillus could also cause granulomas in the appendix. Within the past ten years the authors have come across three cases of granulomatous appendicitis. A review of the literature and retrospective study of the authors' cases suggest that the causative agent in many of these could be Yersinia. However, the authors believe that as long as there is no positive proof of the cause, such lesions should be considered granulomatous appendicitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Validation of a diagnostic scoring system (Ohmann score) in acute appendicitis].

A diagnostic scoring system, recently published by Ohmann et al. in this journal, was validated by analyzing the clinicopathological data of a consecutive series of 2,359 patients, admitted for suspicion of acute appendicitis. The results of the scoring system were compared to the results of clinical evaluation by junior (provisional) and senior surgeons (final clinical diagnosis). To assess the diagnostic ability of the score, the accuracy and positive predictive value were defined as the major diagnostic performance parameters; the rate of theoretical negative laparotomies and that of diagnostic errors served as the major procedural performance parameters. Of 2,359 patients admitted for suspected acute appendicitis, 662 were proven to have acute appendicitis by histology, for a prevalence of 28%. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the provisional clinical diagnosis were 0.50, 0.94, 0.77, 0.83, and 0.82; 0.93, for the score 0.63, 0.93, 0.77, 0.86 and 0.84, and for the final clinical diagnosis 0.90, 0.94, 0.85, 0.96, and 0.93, respectively. Of the main diagnostic performance parameter, the accuracy of the score was significantly better than that of provisional clinical diagnosis (P < 0.05, chi 2 test). The score yielded a rate of negative appendecomies and laparotomies of 14.3 and 12.3%. With respect to the rate of overlooked cases of acute apendicitis, the score demonstrated a superior performance, with only 6 cases missed (0.9%). However, the number of patients with acute appendicitis, including those with perforated disease, who were not identified by the score, was almost four times that of the final clinical diagnosis (245 vs 63). With regard to the main procedural performance parameter, the score resulted in a significantly smaller number of diagnostic errors than the provisional clinical investigator (P < 0.05, chi 2 test). The results of this study indicate that the diagnostic scoring system might be helpful when experienced investigators or additional diagnostic modalities such as ultrasonography are not available. It may therefore be of value in the preclinical evaluation of patients with suspected acute appendicitis and may be instrumental as a quality control tool and in clinical guidelines.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

Improving the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children with atypical clinical findings using the technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime-labelled white-blood-cell abdomen scan.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing acute appendicitis in children with equivocal signs and symptoms may be difficult. The usual approach is hospital observation and frequent re-examination. However, many surgeons are reluctant to delay surgery because of the risk of perforation and a negative laparotomy. OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the value of the technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime ((99m)Tc-HMPAO)-labelled white-blood-cell (WBC) abdomen scan in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children with atypical clinical presentation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty children with acute right lower quadrant abdominal pain and possible acute appendicitis, but atypical findings were included. After IV injection of (99m)Tc-HMPAO-labelled WBCs, serial anterior abdomen scans were obtained using a gamma camera. RESULTS: Thirty-three children underwent surgery, while 17 children were managed conservatively and were followed up for at least 1 month. Four children had false-positive results and one child had a false-negative scan result. The overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the scan to diagnose acute appendicitis in children with atypical findings was 96.7, 80.0, 90.0, 87.8 and 94.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The (99m)Tc-HMPAO WBC abdomen scan is a potential tool for diagnosing acute appendicitis in children with atypical clinical findings. The high sensitivity and negative predictive value allows early discharge from the emergency department to avoid costly observation in hospital and potentially unnecessary surgery in those patients with negative scans.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

CT for suspected appendicitis in children: an analysis of diagnostic errors.

BACKGROUND: Mistakes have been made by the use of CT in diagnosing children with suspected appendicitis. Although others have reported the frequency of diagnostic errors, we were unable to find any studies that addressed the specific situations in which diagnostic errors occurred in children with suspected appendicitis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency and type of diagnostic errors resulting from CT of children with suspected appendicitis when compared to surgical and pathological diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed imaging, clinical and pathological data on 1,207 consecutive pediatric patients who underwent CT examination for suspected appendicitis. Imaging findings were categorized as false-positive, false-negative, or indeterminate. Errors were classified as interpretative, technical or unavoidable. Concordance between surgical and pathological findings was also evaluated. RESULTS: The imaging findings of 34 patients (2.8%) were discrepant with the pathological examination or clinical follow-up. The errors in 23 cases were classified as interpretive (68%) and 11 as unavoidable (32%), and no errors were classified as technical. There were 23 false-positive errors (68%), 6 false-negative errors (18%), and 5 indeterminate imaging studies (15%). Isolated CT findings of an enlarged (greater than 6 mm) appendix, fat stranding, thickened bowel or non-visualization of the distal appendix were the most common false-positive CT findings. Of these 34 patients, 22 underwent appendectomy, with 10 (45%) having discordant surgical and pathological findings. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated CT findings of an appendicolith, an enlarged appendix, or minimal fat stranding are not sufficient signs for the diagnosis of appendicitis. Pathological diagnosis rather than surgical findings should be used as the reference standard of true-positive imaging findings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Harmonic US imaging of appendicitis in children.

BACKGROUND: Harmonic imaging (HI), a relatively new ultrasound modality, was initially reported to be of use only in obese adult patients. HI increases the contrast and spatial resolution resulting in artefact-free images, and has been shown in adults to significantly improve abdominal sonography. Regarding its application in paediatric patients, just a handful reports exist and these do not encompass its use in intestinal sonography. OBJECTIVE: To compare the sonomorphological image quality of HI and fundamental imaging (FI, conventional grey-scale imaging) in the diagnosis of histologically confirmed appendicitis in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this prospective comparative study, 50 children (male/female 25/25; mean age 9.9 years) suspected of having appendicitis were recruited. In all patients US examination of the appendix and periappendiceal region was performed preoperatively and appendectomy carried out. The final diagnosis was based on histological examination of the appendix. Both FI and HI were used in the US examination (tissue harmonic imaging, THI; Sonoline Elegra, Siemens; 7.5 MHz linear transducer). A detailed comparison of the images from FI and HI was performed using a scoring system. The parameters compared included delineation of the appendiceal contour, wall, mucosa, contents of the appendix and surrounding tissues. Furthermore, periappendiceal findings such as mesenteric echogenicity, free fluid, lymph nodes and adjacent bowel wall thickening were compared. RESULTS: In 43 children (86%) acute appendicitis was histologically confirmed. The inflamed appendix could be depicted in the HI and FI modes in 93% and 86%, respectively. HI was found to be significantly better for the depiction of the outer contour, wall, mucosa and contents of the appendix (P<0.01). This was also true for the demonstration of free fluid, mesenteric lymph nodes, adjacent bowel walls and mesenteric echogenicity. CONCLUSION: HI should be the preferred modality for scanning the right lower abdomen in suspected acute appendicitis. The diagnosis of acute appendicitis can then be more definitely ascertained.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Clinical approach to a child with abdominal pain who might have appendicitis.

Appendicitis can usually be diagnosed on completion of a history and physical examination (abdominal pain, vomiting, right lower quadrant tenderness and guarding), although laboratory evaluation with a urinalysis and white blood cell count can be of assistance. In the few cases where doubt remains, plain films of the chest and abdomen can be helpful. Whether and when further imaging is indicated remains controversial. We reviewed reports of studies published since 2003 in which the sensitivity and specificity of CT and sonography for diagnosing appendicitis were determined. Sonography had an average sensitivity of 87.1% and an average specificity of 89.2% in the nine studies reported during that period. The average sensitivity of CT was 90.8% in 11 studies during that period, and there was an average specificity of 94.2% in 10 studies. We also looked at data from 299 patients who underwent appendectomies at our hospital. Of the appendices removed, only 10.7% did not have appendicitis. In many cases, CT or US imaging data were available in the form of reports or images or both from outside institutions. CT and US images were also available from our institution when the diagnosis was in question. This is how patients present in the real world-with studies that might not be the best, might not have been indicated, and might not have images available for another interpretation. Among patients operated on with neither CT nor US images, 10.9% did not have appendicitis. Among those in whom US imaging had been performed, 11.1% were negative for appendicitis, and among those in whom CT had been performed, 9.7% were negative. Although these studies were necessary because they were performed in patients whose diagnosis was the most difficult, it is in every patient's best interest to have a thorough examination by a surgeon prior to having a CT scan.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed2000

Acute appendicitis in children: comparison of clinical diagnosis with ultrasound and CT imaging.

BACKGROUND: There is strong evidence that imaging with ultrasound and CT can be of substantial diagnostic value in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children, but there is limited information of the impact of imaging on the management of these patients and its possible effect on surgical findings. OBJECTIVE: We studied the impact of imaging in the management of acute appendicitis, in particular its effect on the rate of negative appendectomies and perforations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the clinical records and imaging findings of 633 consecutive children and adolescents seen on an emergency basis with clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis. Two hundred seventy patients were operated upon on clinical evidence alone, while 360 were referred for US or CT, and occasionally both, because of doubtful clinical findings. RESULTS: Acute appendicitis was found in 237 of those on clinical grounds alone, 68 of whom had perforation and related complications. Thus the rate of negative exploration and the rate of perforation were13 % and 29 %, respectively. One hundred eighty-two patients had preoperative US (sensitivity 74 %, specificity 94 %), 119 had CT (sensitivity 84 %, specificity 99 %), and 59 had both US and CT (sensitivity 75 %, specificity 100 %, but often with interpretation at variance with each other). The rate of negative appendectomy and perforation was 8 % and 23 %, respectively, for US, 5 % and 54 % for CT, and 9 % and 71 % when both examinations were performed. There is no statistical significance between the rates of diagnostic performance of US, CT, or their combination, nor between the negative appendectomy rates of each group, but the rate of perforation was significantly higher when CT was performed, alone or after US. CONCLUSION: The retrospective nature of the study prevents precise definition of the clinical characteristics and selection criteria for diagnostic examinations that may contribute to the management of children with suspected acute appendicitis. It was designed, however, to reflect the diagnostic approach and management of these patients, under the care of many decision makers and interpreters of imaging examinations, prevalent today in most hospital-based clinical practices. It is suggested that imaging increases diagnostic accuracy in difficult cases, but it might be one of the factors increasing the rate of perforations.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Saline-filled appendiceal ultrasonography in clinically equivocal acute appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: To establish the value of saline-filled appendiceal ultrasonography in the the diagnosis of clinically equivocal acute appendicitis. METHODS: Saline-filled ultrasonography was performed in 43 patients with an equivocal clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis. RESULTS: Sonography diagnosed 31 of 32 patients without acute appendicitis (97%). A normal appendix was visualized in 15 patients (47%), and we identified a normal appendix in 15 of 22 patients (68%) in whom the colon was cleansed with Golytely(R). Sonography diagnosed 10 of 11 patients with acute appendicitis (91%). In three of 10 patients, the findings corresponded to sonographic pitfalls. CONCLUSION: Saline-filled appendiceal ultrasonography enables the detection of a normal appendix and may overcome sonographic pitfalls in acute appendicitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

Laparoscopic appendectomy for perforated appendicitis.

Although laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis is feasible and safe, its application to perforated appendicitis is uncertain. A retrospective study of all patients with perforated appendicitis from 1992 to 1999 in a university hospital was performed. A series of 231 patients were diagnosed as having perforated appendicitis. Of these patients, 85 underwent laparoscopy (LA), among whom 40 (47%) required conversion to an open procedure. An open appendectomy (OA) was performed in 146 patients. The operating time was similar for the two groups. Return of fluid and solid diet intake were faster in LA than OA patients (p < 0.01). Postoperative infections including wound infections and abdominal abscesses occurred in 14% of patients in the laparoscopy group and in 26% of those with OA (p < 0.05). The surgeon's experience correlated with the conversion rate. Laparoscopic appendectomy is associated with a high conversion rate for perforated appendicitis. If successful, it offers patients faster recovery and less risk of infectious complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Appendicitis in children less than 3 years of age: a 28-year review.

Appendicitis is the most common surgical abdominal emergency in the pediatric population, but is rarely considered in children less than 3 years of age. The goal of this study was to identify the presenting symptoms and signs in this age group and examine their subsequent management and outcome. A 28-year experience of a single pediatric surgeon in academic practice was reviewed; 27 children less than 3 years old (mean 23 months) comprised 2.3% of all children with appendicitis in his series. The most common presenting symptoms were vomiting (27), fever (23), pain (21), anorexia (15), and diarrhea (11). The average duration of symptoms was 3 days, with 4 or more days in 9 children. Eighteen children were seen by a physician before the correct diagnosis was made; 14 were initially treated for an upper respiratory tract infection, otitis media, or a urinary tract infection. The most common presenting signs were abdominal tenderness (27), peritonitis (24), temperature 38.0 degrees C or more (21), abdominal distension (18), Leukocytosis (<12.0 x 10(3)/mm(3)) was found in 18, tenderness was localized to the right lower quadrant (RLQ) in 14 and was diffuse in 10. Abdominal radiographs demonstrated findings of a small-bowel obstruction (SBO) in 14 of 21 patients, a fecalith in 2, and a pneumoperitoneum in 1. Contrast enemas were performed in 6 children, 5 of whom had a phlegmon or an abscess. Perforated appendicitis was found in all 27 patients. An appendectomy was performed in 25 and a RLQ drain was placed in 18. Postoperative antibiotics were administered to 17 children for an average of 6 days. Two patients underwent interval appendectomies, 1 following treatment with IV antibiotics and 1 following surgical drainage. The average time to resume oral intake was 7 days and the average hospital stay was 21 (median 15) days. Sixteen patients had 22 complications, which included 6 wound infections, 4 abscesses, 4 wound dehiscences, 3 pneumonias, 2 SBOs, 2 incisional hernias, and 1 enterocutaneous fistula. Perforated appendicitis was found in all children less than 3 years old, resulting in very high morbidity (59% complications), which may be attributed to the 3-5-day delay in diagnosis. Although appendicitis is uncommon in this age group, it should be seriously considered in the differential diagnosis of children under the age of 3 years who present with the triad of abdominal pain, tenderness, and vomiting.

Appendectomy↗
PubMed2006

Morbidity of laparoscopic surgery for complicated appendicitis: an international study.

BACKGROUND: Although laparoscopic appendectomy has some advantages over open appendectomy, some reports do show more postoperative intraabdominal abscesses. METHODS: A retrospective review of complicated appendicitis managed surgically by eight surgical groups from six countries was undertaken. Among 3,433 patients with appendicitis, 1,017 (29.5%) had complicated appendicitis, which included perforated or gangrenous appendicitis with or without localized or disseminated peritonitis. There were 74 preoperative abscesses (7.4%) and 5 small bowel obstructions. RESULTS: One patient died. There were 29 postoperative intraabdominal abscesses (2.8%) and 112 mostly minor complications. Conversion to laparotomy was necessary for 28 patients (2.7%). The surgical time ranged from 32 to 132 min (mean, 62 min), and the hospital stay ranged from 1 to 18 days (mean, 3.5 days). CONCLUSIONS: The morbidity rates, particularly for intraabdominal abscesses, were less for laparoscopic appendectomy in complicated appendicitis than those reported in the literature for open appendectomy, whereas operating times and hospital stays were similar.

Abdominal Abscess↗
PubMed2000

Introducing diagnostic laparoscopy for patients with suspected acute appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic accuracy in patients with suspected acute appendicitis varies from 60% to 90% depending on age and gender. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of diagnostic laparoscopy for diagnostic purposes in patients with suspected acute appendicitis to prevent unnecessary laparotomy and to leave a macroscopically normal appendix in place. METHODS: For this study, 500 consecutive patients with suspected acute appendicitis admitted between January 1994 and October 1996 were included prospectively in a surgical training program set to provide diagnostic laparoscopy on a 24-h-a-day basis. Primary open operation was performed when no laparoscopically trained surgeon was available. Short-term outcome measurements were recorded, and a retrospective long-term follow-up evaluation was performed. RESULTS: We succeeded in performing a diagnostic laparoscopy in 376 patients and a primary open operation in 124 patients. The overall appendicitis rate was 78%. A diagnostic laparoscopy alone was performed in 66 patients (56 of which were fertile women), with a median operating time of 36 min and a complication rate of 0%. The overall complication rate was 8.0%. During a median follow-up period of 19 months one patient returned on a later occasion with appendicitis. At completion of the study, 85% of the surgeons were skilled in diagnostic laparoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial education effort is needed to introduce diagnostic laparoscopy on a 24-h-a-day basis. Diagnostic laparoscopy has a high rate of accuracy, short operating time, and low associated morbidity, and prevents unnecessary laparotomy. It is possible to leave a macroscopically normal-appearing appendix in place.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

Acute appendicitis--a clear-cut case in men, a guessing game in young women. A prospective study on the role of laparoscopy.

BACKGROUND: The aggressive surgical approach to patients suspected of having acute appendicitis for fear of perforation, and the inaccuracy of available diagnostic methods lead to an unacceptably high negative appendicectomy rate, especially in young women, in whom gynecological disorders frequently mimic appendicitis. Our objectives were to determine the value of diagnostic laparoscopy in women of child-bearing age to reduce the number of negative laparotomies and establish the correct diagnosis to allow prompt and appropriate treatment. METHODS: 161 consecutive adult female patients under 50 years of age with a clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis underwent diagnostic laparoscopy prior to the planned appendicectomy. If an inflamed appendix was found, appendicectomy was usually done through a muscle-splitting McBurney incision. Other diagnoses were treated accordingly. A normal appendix was not removed. Results were compared to a group of 42 similar patients in whom the laparoscopy was omitted for various reasons, to 23 postmenopausal women, and to all 137 male adults, directly operated by the McBurney approach. RESULTS: After laparoscopy, 55% of the patients required appendicectomy for appendicitis while in 23% a gynecological diagnosis was made in spite of previous examination by a gynecologist. Fourteen percent had a negative laparoscopy. There were no false-negative results. The negative appendicectomy rate after laparoscopy was 5% due to two false positives and eight laparoscopy failures. In the group of fertile females who escaped laparoscopy the negative appendicectomy rate was 38%. The respective rates for postmenopausal women and men were 4% and 8%. CONCLUSIONS: All women of child-bearing age suspected of having acute appendicitis should undergo diagnostic laparoscopy prior to the planned appendicectomy, regardless of the certainty of the preoperative diagnosis. This is currently the only way to reduce the negative appendicectomy rate and establish a correct diagnosis allowing prompt and appropriate treatment. In male patients and postmenopausal women one may proceed directly to emergency appendicectomy.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

Receiver-operating characteristic analysis of leukocyte counts and serum C-reactive protein levels in children with advanced appendicitis.

PURPOSE: To assess the diagnostic value of the white blood cell count (WBC) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level in children with advanced appendicitis. METHODS: We reviewed 289 children ranging in age from 3 to 15 years old, who underwent appendectomy in our hospital between 1993 and 2003. The advanced appendicitis group consisted of patients with associated perforation, abscess formation, or purulent ascites, and the simple appendicitis group consisted of patients who underwent uncomplicated appendectomy. We compared the age, sex, duration of abdominal pain before surgery, preoperative WBC and CRP level, and hospital stay in the two groups. We analyzed the diagnostic value of WBC and CRP level using a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: The children in the advanced appendicitis group had a significantly longer duration of pain, a higher serum CRP level, and longer hospitalization than those in the simple group. The serum CRP levels had good diagnostic value in differentiating between the advanced and simple groups. Both the CRP level and the WBC in the patients who suffered abdominal pain for longer than 48 h before surgery had diagnostic value in differentiating between the advanced and simple groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that increased values of CRP and WBC more than 48 h after the onset of acute abdominal symptoms are indicators of advanced appendicitis.

Abscess↗
PubMed2006

CAM5.2-positive subserosal myofibroblasts in appendicitis.

In this study, we examined the distribution and origin of myofibroblasts around the perforations of appendicitis. Stromal cells of 45 cases were studied by immunohistochemistry. In the normal appendix, myofibroblasts were restricted to the mucosa, and CD34-positive stromal cells were distributed in the submucosal and subserosal layers. Some mesothelial cells were positive for cytokeratin CAM5.2, cytokeratin 5, or mesothelial cells (HBME-1). In perforation of appendicitis with both abscess and granulation tissue, a small to moderate or a moderate to large number of myofibroblasts appeared in the subserosal area around the perforation, respectively, but CD34-positive stromal cells were completely absent there. In the subserosal area of the perforation of appendicitis with abscess, cytokeratin 5-positive stromal cells were absent. However, a small to moderate number of cytokeratin CAM5.2-positive stromal cells were observed there. Double immunostaining showed the coexpression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (ASMA) and cytokeratin CAM5.2 and the coexpression of cytokeratin 5 and cytokeratin CAM5.2 in many or some stellate-shaped or spindle-shaped stromal cells existing in the subserosal area with granulation tissue around the perforation of appendicitis, respectively. Finally, many myofibroblasts appearing in the subserosal area of the perforation of appendicitis may be derived from submesothelial cells or mesothelial cells.

Actins↗
PubMed1979

Chronic and recurrent appendicitis.

Acute appendicitis is a well known clinical entity, but many physicians are unwilling to accept appendicitis as a chronic or recurrent illness. Of 225 patients undergoing appendectomy, sixteen (7 per cent) had findings suggestive of chronic, recurrent, or subacute appendicitis. Four patients had chronic abdominal pain and histologic findings of chronic inflammation. Nine patients had previous episodes similar to that which resulted in appendectomy. All had acute suppurative appendicitis pathologically. Three patients had only one episode of abdominal pain, but had pathologic evidence of subacute inflammation. Because this study was retrospective, we suspect that the true incidence of recurrent appendicitis is significantly greater, as reported by others. Indications for operation must be strict, for unless there are specific signs and symptoms of appendiceal disease, appendectomy will often be of no benefit.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1985

A cluster of true appendicitis cases.

A cluster of cases of appendicitis occurred primarily in school-age boys in a small Texas town. The expected rate of appendicitis is 1.5 cases per 1,000 persons, or about 1 case per month in that town. However, in the spring of 1984, 13 cases, 10 in school-age boys, occurred. In eight of these patients, the initial onset of abdominal pain occurred over a 15 day period. A case controlled study of school-age patients indicated that sweets in the diet and consumption of local farm eggs may have been associated with the appendicitis. We hypothesize that a group of young male patients who were susceptible to appendicitis because of the high sugar content of their diets were exposed to a bacterium or virus that precipitated this outbreak of appendicitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

Appendicitis in children: a systematic approach for a low incidence of complications.

Four hundred fourteen appendectomies in children have been described. Acute nonperforated appendicitis was seen in 57.1 percent of the patients and perforated appendicitis in 18.6 percent. A histologically normal appendix was seen in 14.3 percent of the patients. In 31 of these patients, other pathologic abnormalities were found to account for the symptoms, thus the number of negative explorations was reduced to 7 percent. The average length of hospitalization was 5.3 days for patients with acute nonperforated appendicitis and 7.3 days for patients with perforated appendicitis. A protocol was followed which consisted of fluid resuscitation, preoperative and postoperative administration of antibiotics, and surgical exploration with appendectomy in all patients. No interval appendectomies were performed. The peritoneal cavity was not irrigated and the use of drains was avoided as much as possible. All wounds were closed primarily without wound drains. Topical cefamandole powder was used in all cases. Aerobic and anaerobic culture specimens were obtained in all cases from the peritoneal cavity and appendiceal stump. Twenty-eight different organisms were recovered, B. fragilis being the most common followed by E. coli. Excellent results were obtained without mortality and a less than 1 percent complication rate. There was a shorter period of hospitalization for patients with perforated appendicitis and a shorter period of antibiotic treatment.

Acute Disease↗