Are Preoperative CT Findings Useful in Predicting the Duration of Laparoscopic Appendectomy in Pediatric Patients? A Single Center Study.

Background/Objectives: Preoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging plays a vital role in accurately diagnosing acute appendicitis and assessing the severity of the condition, as well as the complexity of the surgical procedure. CT imaging provides detailed information on the anatomical and pathological aspects of appendicitis, allowing surgeons to anticipate technical challenges and select the most appropriate surgical approach. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the correlation between preoperative CT findings and the duration of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) in pediatric patients. Methods: This retrospective study included 104 pediatric patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis via contrast-enhanced CT who subsequently underwent laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) between November 2021 and February 2024. CT images were meticulously reviewed by two experienced radiologists blinded to the clinical and surgical outcomes. The severity of appendicitis was evaluated using a five-point scale based on the presence of periappendiceal fat, fluid, extraluminal air, and abscesses. Results: The average operation time was 51.1 ± 21.6 min. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between operation time and neutrophil count (p = 0.014), C-reactive protein levels (p = 0.002), symptom-to-operation time (p = 0.004), and appendix diameter (p = 0.017). The total CT score also showed a significant correlation with operation time (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that a symptom duration of more than 2 days (p = 0.047), time from CT to surgery (p = 0.039), and the presence of a periappendiceal abscess (p = 0.005) were independent predictors of prolonged operation time. In the perforated appendicitis group, the presence of a periappendiceal abscess on CT was significantly associated with prolonged operation time (p = 0.020). In the non-perforated group, the presence of periappendiceal fluid was significantly related to longer operation times (p = 0.026). Conclusions: In our study, preoperative CT findings, particularly the presence of a periappendiceal abscess, were significantly associated with prolonged operation times in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy. Elevated CRP levels, the time between CT imaging and surgery, and a symptom duration of more than 2 days were also found to significantly impact the procedure's duration.

Primary omental torsion with clinical masquerading as acute appendicitis and radiological key for diagnosis.

Omental torsion is a medical condition characterized by the twisting of the omentum along its longitudinal axis, which leads to compromised blood flow. This condition is rarely diagnosed before surgery and can present symptoms similar to other causes of acute surgical abdomen. This report details a case of primary omental torsion initially suspected to be acute appendicitis. The patient was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of lower right quadrant abdominal pain and mild fever. Computed tomography imaging revealed a twisted mass of fatty tissue with surrounding fat stranding changes, but no signs of appendicitis were found, indicating omental torsion. The patient underwent surgery to remove the twisted and necrotic omentum, leading to an improvement in symptoms. This case highlights the challenges in diagnosis and the crucial role of computed tomography imaging in managing this rare condition.

Indication of conservative treatment by antibiotics for uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common emergency abdominal disease, and recent studies have evaluated conservative treatment using antibiotics for uncomplicated appendicitis. Although the efficacy of conservative treatment for uncomplicated appendicitis is known, its efficacy for complicated appendicitis remains unknown, so are risk factors for the conservative treatment of appendicitis. In our institution, conservative treatment has long been the first choice for most appendicitis cases, except for perforation. Therefore, this novel study investigated the outcomes of conservative treatment for uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis and the risk factors associated with conservative treatment. AIM: To investigate the indication of conservative treatment by antibiotics for uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis. METHODS: We investigated 270 patients who received conservative treatment for acute appendicitis at the Nishitokyo Central General Hospital, between April 2011 and February 2022. Twenty-eight (10.3%) patients were resistant to conservative treatment and underwent surgery. We retrospectively investigated the outcomes of conservative treatment for appendicitis and the risk factors for resistance to conservative treatment using the receiver operating characteristic curves and Cox hazard model. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-two (89.7%) patients improved with conservative treatment. The significant and independent predictors of resistance to conservative treatment were body temperature ≥ 37.3 °C, appendicolith and Douglas sinus fluid visible on computed tomography (CT). The rate of resistance to conservative treatment was 66.7% (6/9) for patients with the above three factors, 22.9% (8/35) for patients with two factors (appendicolith and body temperature ≥ 37.3 °C), 16.7% (2/12) for patients with two factors (Douglas sinus fluid and appendicolith) and 11.1% (1/9) for patients with two factors (Douglas sinus fluid and body temperature ≥ 37.3 °C). CONCLUSION: A temperature ≥ 37.3 °C, appendicolith and Douglas sinus fluid on CT might be clinical risk factors of resistance to conservative treatment for acute appendicitis.

An Uncommon Consequence of Perforated Acute Appendicitis in Elderly Patients: Fournier's Gangrene.

Acute appendicitis that is not diagnosed and treated promptly typically results in serious complications that raise the risk of necrotizing fasciitis, particularly in elderly patients. We present a case of a 77-year-old male, who presented to the emergency department with a clinical manifestation of Fournier's gangrene caused by acute perforated appendicitis. The patient had no symptoms or signs of an acute abdomen, and within three days he developed significant unilateral scrotal swelling and skin changes. Our case demonstrates the need to treat Fournier's gangrene as a consequence of an intra-abdominal infectious disease, particularly in elderly comorbid patients with atypical symptoms of acute appendicitis, and highlights the importance of early surgical intervention.

Acute appendicitis induced by bone fragment ingestion: A pediatrics case report.

Acute appendicitis is an ordinary surgical emergency, typically attributed to luminal obstruction by fecaliths or lymphoid hyperplasia. However, ingested foreign bodies as an etiology are rare but increasingly recognized, particularly in pediatric patients. We present the case of a 9-year-old male patient who presented to the emergency department with symptoms consistent with acute appendicitis. Further investigation revealed the presence of a bone fragment within the appendix, leading to acute inflammation. Foreign body ingestion should be considered in pediatric patients with acute appendicitis. This case report underscores the importance of comprehensive clinical evaluation and appropriate diagnostic imaging modalities in guiding optimal treatment strategies.

Non-Operative Management of Uncomplicated Appendicitis in Children: Can Patients Be Discharged From the Emergency Department?

INTRODUCTION: Non-operative management of uncomplicated appendicitis in children is a safe alternative to laparoscopic appendectomy. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of nonoperative outpatient management of uncomplicated appendicitis in pediatric patients. METHODS: A standardized pathway for non-operative outpatient management of uncomplicated appendicitis in children (NOMA-C) was implemented in a university pediatric surgery practice starting October 2021. Those who met criteria would be considered for discharge from the emergency department (ED) with oral antibiotics and close followup over the following year. A quality improvement project started concurrently to monitor patients for recurrent symptoms of appendicitis. RESULTS: A total of 121 patients were diagnosed with acute appendicitis during the study period (October 2021 to April 2023). Forty-five children (38%) met criteria for the NOMA-C protocol, and 11 patients/families chose appendectomy. Of the 34 patients who pursued nonoperative management, 14 patients were admitted to the hospital and 20 patients were discharged from the ED. Total time in the ED/hospital was significantly shorter for patients discharged from the ED (7 hours versus 23 hours; p<0.001). At one year follow up only 4 (12%) had undergone appendectomy. There were no adverse events for patients who underwent nonoperative management. CONCLUSION: A protocol offering non-operative management of appendicitis with an option for outpatient management was feasible and safe. Outpatient management was associated with shorter ED/hospital stays than those admitted. Future studies should evaluate whether this protocol can be adopted by EDs without pediatric surgery services to avoid the need for transfer.

Silent but Significant: A Case Report of Appendiceal Mucocele.

Appendiceal mucocele is a rare disease that can sometimes mimic acute appendicitis or be discovered accidentally during surgeries. The clinical presentation of appendiceal mucocele is observed as lumen distension due to mucin accumulation. This condition has both benign and malignant underlying etiologies, which can be confirmed by histopathological examination. Acute presentation of appendiceal mucocele is rare and mostly resembles the symptoms of acute appendicitis. The treatment of appendiceal mucocele is crucial due to the risk of pseudomyxoma peritonei caused by the spread of mucus, mucocele perforation, or the presence of malignancy such as mucinous carcinoma. Surgical resection, either appendicectomy, typhlectomy, or sometimes right hemicolectomy, is the recommended management approach. This is a case of a 74-year-old male with pain in the abdomen as the major presenting complaint. He had a palpable right iliac fossa mass. The diagnosis of appendiceal mucocele was made by contrast-enhanced computed tomography, which was later confirmed by histopathology. The patient underwent surgical resection and was doing well at the three-month follow-up.

The incidence of incidental neoplasia in pathology samples of patient who underwent appendectomy due to acute appendicitis. A single center experience: 6446 cases.

PURPOSE: Appendectomy is the standard treatment of acute appendicitis. However, recent advancements have introduced medical treatment as a potential alternative. Within this context, it's important to recognize the rare occurrence of appendiceal tumors, often incidentally discovered during histopathological examination following appendectomy. Consequently, there's a concern about the possibility of overlooking appendiceal neoplasms, particularly in cases where conservative treatment for acute appendicitis is considered. METHODS: The files of patients who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis between January 2015 and December 2023 and were diagnosed with neoplasia in their pathology reports were retrospectively registered. Demographic characteristics of the patients, laboratory and imaging features, details of the surgery performed, preoperative and intraoperative suspicion of neoplasm and data from pathology reports were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 6446 patients were operated for acute appendicitis. Neoplasia was detected in the histopathological examination of 93 patients (1.44%). Acute appendicitis was diagnosed in 51.6% of the patients by computed tomography. Neoplasm suspicion was present in 9.7% of patients in preoperative imaging methods and in 6.5% of patients intraoperatively. Only appendectomy was performed in 94.5% of patients. The most common appendiceal neoplasm is neuroendocrine tumors (40.9%), followed by appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (29%), sessile serrated adenoma (15%), and adenocarcinoma (6.5%). CONCLUSION: Although appendiceal neoplasms are relatively rare in proportion, they represent a significant numerical value due to the density of cases. Therefore, this information should be taken into consideration when evaluating treatment options for acute appendicitis.

Assessment of diagnostic value of ultrasound and multi-slice spiral computed tomography in acute appendicitis: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Ultrasound and multi-slice spiral computed tomography (CT) are frequently used to assist the diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA), and the examination results may vary among different demographics. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and CT for AA. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with AA who underwent emergency surgery at our hospital from March 2021 to August 2023, with postoperative pathological results as the gold standard. Differences in the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and CT for different types of AA, age groups, and body mass index (BMI) values were then analyzed. RESULTS: The overall sample comprised 279 confirmed cases of AA, with 64 cases of simple appendicitis, 127 cases of suppurative appendicitis, and 88 cases of gangrenous appendicitis. For these three pathological classifications, the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound was 68.75% (44/64), 73.22% (93/127), and 81.81% (72/88), respectively, while the diagnostic accuracy of CT was 71.87% (46/64), 82.67% (105/127), and 90.90% (80/88), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall diagnostic accuracy between the two methods (P > 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed no difference in diagnostic accuracy between the two methods for patients with normal BMI (P > 0.05). However, for overweight, obese, and elderly patients, CT provided significantly better diagnostic accuracy than ultrasound (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: While ultrasound and CT have similar diagnostic accuracy for different pathological types of AA, CT is more accurate for overweight, obese, and elderly patients.

A rare case of superior mesenteric venous and portal vein thrombosis in complicated appendicitis.

Superior mesenteric venous (SMV) thrombosis is a rare complication of severe appendicitis. Early recognition is due to improved imaging modalities, which ultimately lead to more prompt intervention. Despite being an uncommon phenomenon, SMV thrombosis can have complications stemming from venous hypertension, such as gastric and esophageal varices, bowel ischemia, sepsis, and death. As this is a rare phenomenon, specific treatment guidelines and algorithms are lacking in the current literature. This case report describes a 23-year-old male patient whose recovery from a laparoscopic appendectomy was complicated with both an SMV and portal vein thrombosis.

Appendectomy: Cross-sectional study of the effects of COVID-19 in a hospital in South Brazil.

Background: COVID-19 has further burdened the Brazilian healthcare system, especially emergencies. Patients may have delayed seeking care for surgical abdominal pain. Delays in the approach may have impacted clinical evolution and outcomes. This study evaluated appendectomies and their complications performed by the public system during one-year follow-up of COVID-19 in a hospital in southern Brazil. Materials and methods: In this hospital-based cross-sectional study, we included adult patients who underwent appendectomy from March 2019 to April 2021 (n = 162). Patients were divided into pre-pandemic (n = 78) and pandemic (n = 84) groups based on the surgery date. The analyzed variables included hospitalization duration, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, surgical approach, histopathological findings, COVID-19 testing, patient outcomes, and 30-day survival rate. Results: The cohorts exhibited similar epidemiology, with the sex ratio and average age being maintained. No statistical difference was found in the 30-day survival rate and clinical outcomes. Of the four patients admitted to the ICU, three belonged to the pandemic cohort and tested negative for COVID-19. Only 47.6 % of the patients in the pandemic cohort underwent COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction examination; one tested positive (2.5 %). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that there was no increased risk for appendectomies during the first wave of the pandemic. Surgeries were safe during this period. Patients continued to access the emergency service despite surgical abdominal pain and restrictive measures imposed by health authorities. The similar results observed across cohorts are attributed to the readiness of the teams and the availability of medical surgical equipment in safe quantities.

A Comparison of the Alvarado Score and the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (RIPASA) Score in the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background Diagnosing acute appendicitis remains a problem, especially in teenagers with right lower quadrant pain. Imaging studies aid in accurate diagnosis but have limitations such as cost and availability. The Modified Alvarado Scoring System (MASS) is simple and cost-effective with fewer parameters. The Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis scoring system (RIPASA), designed for Asian populations, includes more parameters. This study compares the effectiveness of RIPASA and Alvarado scores in diagnosing acute appendicitis in a specific clinical setting. Objectives To compare the scoring systems of RIPASA and Alvarado in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis at a tertiary care hospital. Methods Data has been collected from all patients who attended the NRI general hospital emergency department and outpatient wing with acute appendicitis, admitted as inpatients based on clinical history and relevant investigations. Patients satisfying inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected and the basic investigations were done. Summary statistics were done using mean, standard deviation and proportions. Inferential statistics were done by using an independent t-test, kappa statistic, sensitivity and specificity with a 95% confidence interval (CI). All the measurements are done using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software version 21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) and open epidemiological (OpenEpi) software 3.01. A probability (p) <0.05 is considered as statistically significant. Results A total of 110 patients were analyzed for this study with a majority (39%) of them in the 21-30 age group. In our study, females (53%) outnumbered males (47%). Ultrasound findings in our cohort were acute appendicitis (93%), chronic appendicitis (2%) and normal appendix (5%). However, histopathology reported acute appendicitis (75%), chronic appendicitis (9%) and negative/non-specific (15%). The probability of appendicitis as predicted by Alvarado and RIPASA were 40% and 51% respectively. Definitive diagnosis of appendicitis was made in 16.4% with RIPASA whereas only 5.5% with Alvarado. When comparing the Alvarado and RIPASA scores, the sensitivity or true positive rate was higher for RIPASA (73.63%) than for Alvarado (50.55%). Conclusion There was a significant difference between the mean scores in Alvarado and RIPASA inpatients with scores suggestive of appendicitis and no appendicitis. Diagnostic accuracy was higher in RIPASA scoring compared to ALVARDO scoring. There was a significant statistical difference between the two scoring systems. When it comes to diagnosing in low-resource countries the study recommends a combination of Alvarado and RIPASA scoring systems.

Evaluation of the clinical effects of atropine in combination with remifentanil in children undergoing surgery for acute appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common cause of acute abdomen in children. Anesthesia significantly influences the surgical treatment of AA in children, making the scientific and effective selection of anesthetics crucial. AIM: To assess the clinical effect of atropine (ATR) in combination with remifentanil (REMI) in children undergoing surgery for AA. METHODS: In total, 108 cases of pediatric AA treated between May 2020 and May 2023 were selected, 58 of which received ATR + REMI [research group (RG)] and 50 who received REMI [control group (CG)]. Comparative analyses were conducted on the time to loss of eyelash reflex, pain resolution time, recovery time from anesthesia, incidence of adverse events (AEs; respiratory depression, hypoxemia, bradycardia, nausea and vomiting, and hypotension), intraoperative responses (head shaking, limb activity, orientation recovery, safe departure time from the operating room), hemodynamic parameters [oxygen saturation (SPO2), mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate], postoperative sedation score (Ramsay score), and pain level [the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) Behavioral Scale]. RESULTS: Compared with the CG, the RG showed significantly shorter time to loss of eyelash reflex, pain resolution, recovery from anesthesia, and safe departure from the operating room. Furthermore, the incidence rates of overall AEs (head shaking, limb activity, etc.) were lower, and influences on intraoperative hemodynamic parameters and stress response indexes were fewer. The Ramsay score at 30 min after extubation and the FLACC score at 60 min after extubation were significantly lower in the RG than in the CG. CONCLUSION: ATR + REMI is superior to REMI alone in children undergoing AA surgery, with a lower incidence of AEs, fewer influences on hemodynamics and stress responses, and better post-anesthesia recovery.

Is appendoscope a new option for the treatment of acute appendicitis?

Acute appendicitis is a common surgical emergency. It is commonly caused by obstruction of the appendiceal lumen due to fecaliths, tumors, or lymphoid hyperplasia. For over a century, appendectomy has been the primary treatment for acute appendicitis. Abraham Groves performed the first open appendectomy in 1883. In 1983, Kurt Semm completed the first laparoscopic appendectomy, heralding a new era in appendectomy. However, appendectomy is associated with certain complications and a rate of negative appendectomies. Studies have suggested controversy over the impact of appendectomy on the development of inflammatory bowel disease and Parkinson's disease, but an increasing number of studies indicate a possible positive correlation between appendectomy and colorectal cancer, gallstones, and cardiovascular disease. With the recognition that the appendix is not a vestigial organ and the advancement of endoscopic te-chnology, Liu proposed the endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy. It is an effective minimally invasive alternative for treating uncomplicated acute appendicitis. Our team has developed an appendoscope with a disposable digital imaging system operated through the biopsy channel of a colonoscope and successfully applied it in the treatment of appendicitis. This article provides an overview of the progress in endoscopic treatment for acute appendicitis and offers a new perspective on the future direction of appendiceal disease treatment.

Left-sided perforated appendicitis in a patient with situs inversus totalis, a case report.

Situs inversus, an uncommon disorder, causes the orientation of asymmetric organs to be opposite to that of normal anatomy. It can be either partial, affecting only the thoracic or abdominal cavities, or full, involving the transposition of both the thoracic and abdominal organs. A 31-year-old Ethiopian male patient presented with migratory abdominal pain in the left lower quadrant for 3 days. Associated with the pain, he experienced symptoms of nausea, vomiting of ingested matter, and loss of appetite. Investigations were consistent with left-sided appendicitis with situs inversus totalis. Therefore, the patient was operated on and discharged with no perioperative complications. Appendicitis is a rare cause of left lower quadrant pain. In order to reduce the delay in patient treatment and avoidable perioperative complications, emergency physicians, radiologists, and surgeons must become more knowledgeable about situs inversus and left side appendicitis.

Clinical Scoring Systems to Diagnose Complicated Acute Appendicitis in a Rural Hospital: Are They Good Enough?

Introduction Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common surgical emergency in developed countries, whose incidence peaks in the second and third decades. The risk of mortality in uncomplicated AA is very low. There are many scoring systems to predict AA. Prediction scores are used less frequently to predict complicated AA. Rural hospitals are often constrained by a lack of round-the-clock imaging or special laboratory services, which may enable accurate diagnosis. Materials and methods This study aimed to determine whether prediction scores without imaging or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels could predict complicated AA in a rural setting. All cases of AA for the previous 13 months were recruited for the study. Demographic data, clinical signs and symptoms, complete blood counts, intraoperative findings, and the corresponding histopathological results were collated. The scoring systems (Alvarado, RIPASA, Tzanakis, and Ohmann) were calculated from the clinical and laboratory data. Demographic variables, clinical features, and histopathological findings are described as frequencies/proportions. Chi-squared and Student's t-tests were used to analyze differences between patients with complicated and uncomplicated AA. A receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was performed to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) and determine whether appendicitis scores could predict complicated AA. Results There were 76 patients with a mean age of 29.1±13.0 years. Serositis was observed in 65% of the patients; mucosal ulceration was the most common microscopic finding, with a pathological diagnosis of AA in 58 (76.3%) patients. Rovsing's sign and the presence of phlegmon and granuloma were significantly different between those with and without complicated AA. The clinical prediction scores were not significantly different between the two groups. The Tzanakis and Ohmann scores were significant (cutoff: 6.5 and 7.25, p=0.001 and 0.01, respectively) in diagnosing AA (sensitivity/specificity of 98.3/66.7 and 98.3/94.4, respectively). With a cutoff of 5.75, the RIPASA score, with an AUC of 0.663 (p=0.09), showed the highest sensitivity (90.7) and specificity (76.6) for diagnosing complicated AA. Conclusion Diagnosing AA based solely on clinical presentation remains a challenge. This study showed that clinical scores such as those of Alvarado, RIPASA, Tzanakis, and Ohmann could not accurately predict complicated AA. Scoring systems without imaging and intraoperative diagnoses are not infallible; therefore, histopathological examination of the resected appendix is mandatory.

Appendicitis tends to be complicated during the COVID-19 epidemic: A multicentre retrospective study.

Background: In past studies, non-medical factors in the social-healthcare-patient triad associated with the prevalence of COVID-19 have led to delays in the presentation of patients with acute appendicitis and an increase in complications. However, as research progresses, there is increasing evidence of a clinical association between COVID-19 and the development of acute appendicitis. Methods: The effect of COVID-19 prevalence and associated factors on acute appendicitis in the control (2016-2019) and exposed (2020-2023) groups was derived from a retrospective study of 3070 patients with acute appendicitis from 2016 to 2023. Results: After the implementation of the restrictions, the rate of acute appendicitis visits in the exposed group compared to the control group dropped sharply in the initial period (P = 0.047) and recovered gradually with the relaxation of the restrictions. Similar changes occurred in the number of acute complicated appendicitis visits. In addition, after the lifting of restrictions and the COVID-19 outbreak, the proportion of acute complicated appendicitis in the exposed group increased significantly (P < 0.001) and an increase in the number of complicated appendicitis visits was observed (P < 0.001) compared with the control group. In addition, the age distribution of acute appendicitis during this period showed an ageing trend (P = 0.001). Conclusion: COVID-19 infections may be more likely to progress to complicated appendicitis after an episode of appendicitis, even if they have been cured for the same period of time. In addition, the proportion of elderly patients with appendicitis increased after the COVID-19 epidemic.

Prognostic value of 24-hour cultivation of peritoneal fluid to distinguish complicated from uncomplicated acute appendicitis: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The distinction between complicated and uncomplicated acute appendicitis (AA) is important as it guides postoperative antibiotic treatment. A diagnosis based on intraoperative findings is imprecise and standard cultivation of peritoneal fluid is generally time-consuming with little clinical benefit. The aim of this study was to examine if cultivation of peritoneal fluid in acute appendicitis could reliably detect bacteria within 24 h. METHODS: Patients older than 18 years undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy were prospectively enrolled at two surgical departments after informed consent was obtained. Periappendicular fluid was collected prior to appendectomy and sent for cultivation. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using 72-hour cultivation results as the gold standard. Patients with complicated AA as determined by the surgeon, received a three-day course of oral antibiotics. Postoperative infectious complications within 30 days after surgery were registered. RESULTS: From July 2020 to January 2021, 101 patients were included. The intraoperative diagnosis was complicated AA in 34 cases. Of these patients, six (17.6%) had bacteria cultured within 24 h after surgery, leading to a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 100%. The positive and negative predictive values were 1.00 and 0.96, respectively. Seven patients developed a postoperative infection (five superficial wound infections and two intra-abdominal abscess). In all cases with a positive cultivation result, the intraoperative diagnosis was complicated appendicitis and a postoperative course of antibiotics prescribed. CONCLUSION: Twenty-four-hour cultivation of the peritoneal fluid in acute appendicitis is a valid indicator for peritoneal bacterial contamination. Randomized studies are necessary to determine if this approach is suitable for targeting postoperative antibiotic treatment as a means to prevent overtreatment without increasing the risk of infectious complications.