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.

Right Hemicolectomy and Appendicectomy as Treatments for Goblet Cell Adenocarcinoma: A Comparative Analysis of Two Large National Databases.

INTRODUCTION: Right hemicolectomy (RHC) remains the treatment standard for goblet cell adenocarcinoma (GCA), despite limited evidence supporting survival benefit. This study aims to explore factors influencing surgical management and survival outcomes among patients treated with RHC or appendicectomy using NCRAS (UK) and SEER (USA) data. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted using 998 (NCRAS) and 1703 (SEER) cases. Factors influencing procedure type were explored using logistic regression analyses. Overall survival (OS) probabilities and Kaplan-Meier (KM) plots were generated using KM analysis and the log-rank test compared survival between groups. Cox regression analyses were performed to assess hazard ratios. RESULTS: The NCRAS analysis revealed that age and regional stage disease were determinants of undergoing RHC, with all age groups showing similar odds of receiving RHC, excluding the 75+ age group. The SEER analysis revealed tumour size > 2 cm, and receipt of chemotherapy were determinants of undergoing RHC, unlike the distant stage, which was associated with appendicectomy. Surgery type was not a significant predictor of OS in both analyses. In NCRAS, age and stage were significant predictors of OS. In SEER, age, stage, and Black race were significant predictors of worse OS. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows variations in the surgical management of GCA, with limited evidence to support a widespread recommendation for RHC.

[Appendix ... it's not just appendicitis: neuroendocrine tumors.] / L'appendice... non è solo appendicite: i tumori neuroendocrini.

Well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors of the appendix (NETs) are rare in pediatric and adolescent age groups. However, they are the most common gastrointestinal epithelial tumor in this age group and the most common malignancy of the appendix in the general population. The classification of these tumors considers factors such as the proliferation index, size of the neoplasm, and the presence of perineural and/or lymphovascular invasion, which can contribute to distant metastases. Preoperative diagnosis is challenging, except in cases where patients exhibit symptoms of carcinoid syndrome or signs of metastatic disease, which are uncommon in pediatric and adolescent patients. For tumors smaller than 1 cm, appendectomy is usually curative, while larger tumors or those at risk of spreading may require right hemicolectomy with lymphadenectomy. We present a case of an adolescent with NET and provide a literature review on the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that should be considered for this relatively rare condition.Key words. Adolescent age, appendix, neuroendocrine tumors, pediatric age.

[Association between previous appendectomy and cognitive impairment in adults: a case-control study]. / Vliyanie predshestvuyushchei appendektomii na kognitivnye narusheniya u vzroslykh: issledovanie «sluchai-kontrol'¼.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between appendectomy and cognitive impairment in adults aged 50-70 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A case-control study was carried out with 270 patients between May and July 2023. Ninety cases (with cognitive impairment) and 180 controls (without impairment), diagnosed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), were assessed. RESULTS: 31.11% of the total cases with cognitive impairment were submitted to an appendectomy, with an average of 25 years since surgery. Regarding other surgeries: 40% with impairment underwent cholecystectomy and 23.33% reported other operations. The analysis revealed significant differences in age, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes and smoking between the groups. However, there was no significant difference by gender. Logistic regression analysis highlighted that age and past appendectomy were strongly associated with cognitive impairment, with an Odds Ratio (OR) of 1.20 and 12.91, respectively. Associations were also found with cholecystectomy (OR 7.33), other surgeries (OR 13.39) and smoking (OR 6.91). CONCLUSION: Appendectomy might be a significant risk factor for cognitive impairment in adults aged 50-70 years.

The implementation of the acute care surgery model in the management of patients with acute appendicitis - A 5-year single-center, retrospective experience: An observational study.

We conducted this study to assess the effects of the acute care surgery (ACS) model in the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA) based on our 5-year single-center, retrospective experience. The current single-center, retrospective, observational study was conducted in a consecutive series of the patients with AA who had been surgically treated at a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, Korea, between January 2016 and December 2020. At our institution, the ACS model was first introduced in March 2018. Therefore, our clinical series of the patients were divided into 2 groups: the pre-ACS group (March 2014 to February 2018) and the post-ACS group (March 2018 to December 2022). Key time intervals include emergency department registration to request for surgical consultation, request for surgical consultation to decision on surgery, decision-to-operating room, time to decision on surgery and length of emergency department stay. Moreover, outcomes include rates of perforation and complications and discharge within 24 or 48 hours. We compared key time intervals, outcomes, and length of hospital stay between the 2 groups. A total of 900 patients with AA were finally included in the current study, 447 and 453 of whom were divided into the pre-ACS group (n = 447) and the post-ACS group (n = 453), respectively. There were significant differences in key time intervals, outcomes, and length of hospital stay between the 2 groups (P < .05). In conclusion, our results showed that the implementation of the ACS model was effective in improving key time intervals, rates of perforation, and discharge within 24 or 48 hours in the patients with AA.

[Therapeutic effectiveness of modified endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy for acute appendicitis of different severities in children].

Objective: To investigate the effects of modified endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (mERAT) on the treatment of children with different severities of acute appendicitis. Methods: This study was a case-control study. A total of 586 children with acute appendicitis, who were admitted to the Pediatric Department of Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University between January 2019 and November 2023, were selected as the research subjects. According to the severity of the disease, the patients were divided into simple appendicitis group, suppurative appendicitis group and perforated appendicitis group. The baseline data, hospitalization treatment and costs, outcomes, and recurrence in each group were analyzed, and the difference in the effectiveness of mERAT between the groups were compared by Kruskal-Wallis H test and χ2 test. Results: Among 586 children, there were 338 males and 248 females. The age at onset was 7.0 (4.6, 9.4) years. There were 475 cases of simple appendicitis, 78 cases of suppurative appendicitis, and 33 cases of perforated appendicitis. There were no significant differences in age and gender among the three groups (F=0.59, χ2=3.31, both P>0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences in body temperature, white blood cell counts, neutrophil percentage, lymphocyte percentage, nausea or vomiting, right lower abdominal pain, umbilical pain, right lower abdominal tenderness, and right lower abdominal rebound pain (H=7.56, 161.52, 169.11, and 169.61, χ2=12.05, 13.82, 12.05, 7.74, 20.35, and 94.61, all P<0.05). Also, the treatment time, postoperative hospital stay, total hospital stay, and cost showed statistically significant differences (H=4.70, 33.66, 34.99, 30.37, all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the initial treatment success rate (98.1% (466/475) vs. 98.7% (77/78) vs. 90.9% (30/33), P=0.057). During the 30 (23, 36) months of follow-up, the recurrence rate was 7.9% (35/433) in the simple appendicitis group, 20.8% (15/72) in the suppurative appendicitis group, and 30.0% (9/30) in the perforated appendicitis group, with a statistically significant difference (χ2=23.56, P<0.001). Among the children with recurrent appendicitis, 15 cases still chose mERAT, of them 11 cases (31.2%) had simple appendicitis, 2 cases (2/15) had suppurative appendicitis, and 2 cases (2/9) had perforated appendicitis.The latest time to recurrence in the 3 groups was 32, 35 and 10 months, respectively. Conclusion: Treatment with mERAT has a good effect in pediatric simple appendicitis, but has a higher recurrence rate despite a better initial treatment success rate in suppurative appendicitis and perforated appendicitis.

How can the surgeon choose preoperatively the most appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis vs therapy in pediatric acute appendicitis?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to find statistically valid criteria to preoperatively divide acute appendicitis into simple and complicated to enable surgeons to administer the most appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis/therapy before surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of patients who underwent appendectomy from January 2022 to December 2023. Patients included were 0-14 years of age. Exclusion criteria included patients who underwent interval appendectomy or concurrent procedures at the same time of appendectomy. We divided patients into two groups: simple (group S) and complicated (group C) appendicitis according to intraoperative finding. Generalized linear model (GLM) with logit function was developed to identify the predictive variables of the type of appendicitis (S vs C) in terms of CRP value, neutrophils percentage and WBC count adjusted for age and sex of patients. Finally, principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out to identify the cutoff value of statistically significant variables found in the previous analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty patients were eligible (N female = 49, N male = 71) for the study. 74 and 46 patients were included in groups S and C, respectively. In a preliminary analysis using univariate and multivariate GLM, only CRP (p value = < 0.001) and neutrophils percentage (p value = 0.02) were predictive variables for the type of appendicitis. The GLM shows a statistical lower value of CRP (adjusted odds ratio [OR] per unit, 0.17 [95% CI, 0.08-0.39]) and neutrophil percentage (adjusted OR per unit, 0.37 [95% CI, 0.16-0.86]) in the S group compared to C adjusted to age and sex. PCA analysis revealed a P-ROC cutoff of 4.2 mg/dl and 80.1 of CRP value (AUC = 84%) and neutrophil percentage (AUC = 70%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We will perform a prospective study giving preoperative prophylactic cefazolin to patients with a CRP value under 4.2 mg/dl and amoxicillin-clavulanate therapy to patient with CRP value over 4.2 mg/dl.

The impact of timing on outcomes in appendicectomy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Appendicectomy remains the standard treatment for appendicitis. There is a lack of clarity on the timeframe in which surgery should be performed to avoid unfavourable outcomes. AIM: To perform a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the impact the (1)time-of-day surgery is performed (2), time elapsed from symptom onset to hospital presentation (patient time) (3), time elapsed from hospital presentation to surgery (hospital time), and (4)time elapsed from symptom onset to surgery (total time) have on appendicectomy outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review was performed as per PRISMA-NMA guidelines. The time-of-day which surgery was done was divided into day, evening and night. The other groups were divided into < 24 h, 24-48 h and > 48 h. The rate of complicated appendicitis, operative time, perforation, post-operative complications, surgical site infection (SSI), length of stay (LOS), readmission and mortality rates were analysed. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included with a total of 232,678 patients. The time of day at which surgery was performed had no impact on outcomes. The incidence of complicated appendicitis, post-operative complications and LOS were significantly better when the hospital time and total time were < 24 h. Readmission and mortality rates were significantly better when the hospital time was < 48 h. SSI, operative time, and the rate of perforation were comparable in all groups. CONCLUSION: Appendicectomy within 24 h of hospital admission is associated with improved outcomes compared to patients having surgery 24-48 and > 48 h after admission. The time-of-day which surgery is performed does not impact outcomes.

Placement of a drainage tube in the ileac lumen following laparoscopic appendectomy: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Ileal perforation caused by the insertion of a drainage tube is a rare complication. Hence, the utilization of surgical drains in abdominal surgery remains controversial. At present, there is a trend to reduce the utilization of drains in abdominal surgery, although certain situations may necessitate their application. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 25-year-old Chinese woman presented with a history of right lower abdominal pain persisting for 10 days. Imaging examinations, including abdominal computed tomography and ultrasound, identified low-density lesions measuring 10 × 8 × 8cm3 in the right lower abdomen, which are consistent with perforated appendicitis complicated by a peri-appendiceal abscess. A laparoscopic appendectomy was carried out. On the 5th postoperative day, the drainage fluid changed to a grass-green color (80mL). Imaging with retrograde contrast through the drainage tube revealed that the 26 Fr silicon rubber drainage tube tip was positioned 50cm away from the ileocecal junction within the ileum. Both the ileal and ileocecal regions appeared well-developed. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES: Oral intake was suspended, and the patient received antacids, somatostatin, antibiotics, and total parenteral nutrition. On the 19th postoperative day, a follow-up imaging procedure using retrograde contrast through the drainage tube indicated that the tube tip was sealed. The treatment concluded on day 33 postoperatively, and the patient was discharged. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Ileal perforation due to an abdominal drainage tube following laparoscopic appendectomy constitutes a rare but serious complication. However, due to the adhesion and inflammatory changes around the abscess, laparoscopic dissection becomes a challenging and risky process, and the surgical skills and experiences are particularly important. Removing the abdominal drainage tube promptly based on the characteristics of the drainage fluid is recommended. The findings provide valuable insights for surgeons navigating similar challenges.

Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Associated Acute Appendicitis in Children.

BACKGROUND: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PSA) is an infectious pathogen associated with acute appendicitis; however, it is not consistently addressed by empirical antibiotic therapy, despite potential complications. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of PSA-associated acute appendicitis in children. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis involving pediatric patients who underwent acute appendicitis surgery and had positive peritoneal cultures. Clinical, microbiological, and intraoperative data were extracted from medical records. RESULTS: Among 2523 children with acute appendicitis, 798 (31.6%) underwent peritoneal cultures, revealing 338 positive cases (42.3%), with PSA detected in 77 cases (22.8%). Children with PSA were three times more likely to exhibit high intraoperative grading ≥ 3 (93.4% vs. 76.8%, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.2-8.3, P = 0.023) and nearly four times more likely to have polymicrobial cultures (88.3% vs. 62.1%, 95%CI 1.8-8.0, P < 0.001) than those without PSA in peritoneal cultures. Duration of symptoms did not predict PSA isolation (P = 0.827). Patients with PSA had longer median hospital stays (8 days, interquartile range [IQR] 7-10) than those with other pathogens (7 days, IQR 5-9) (P = 0.004). Antibiotic treatment duration, intensive care unit admission rates, readmission, and mortality were similar between the two groups (P = 0.893, 0.197, 0.760, and 0.761, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: PSA is a common pathogen in children diagnosed with acute appendicitis and positive peritoneal cultures. The likelihood of isolating PSA increases with high-grade intraoperative assessment and in the presence of multiple pathogens in peritoneal cultures, suggests antipseudomonal treatment.

Learning curve of laparoscopic appendectomy in a low-resource setting: a cumulative sum analysis of operative length.

BACKGROUND: Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis is a valuable tool for quantifying the learning curve of surgical teams by detecting significant changes in operative length. However, there is limited research evaluating the learning curve of laparoscopic techniques in low-resource settings. The objective of this study is to evaluate the learning curve for laparoscopic appendectomy within a single surgical team in Senegal. METHODS: This was a single-center prospective study conducted from May 1, 2018, to August 31, 2023 of patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy at a tertiary care institution in West Africa. The AAST classification was used to describe the severity of appendicitis. Parameters studied included age, sex, operative length, conversion rate, and postoperative outcomes. To quantify the learning curve, CUSUM analysis of operative length was performed. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients were included. The mean age was 26.7 years (range 11-70 years) with a sex ratio of 1.9. Pre-operative severity according to AAST was Grade I in 75.4% (n = 61), Grade III in 7.4% (n = 6), Grade IV in 6.1% (n = 5), and Grade V in 11.1% (n = 9). Conversion occurred in 5 cases (6.1%). The average operative length was 76.8 min (range 30-180 min) and the average length of hospitalization was 2.7 days (range 1-13 days). Morbidity was observed in 3.7% (n = 3) and there were no deaths. The CUSUM analysis showed that a steady operative length was achieved after 28 procedures, with decreasing operative lengths thereafter. CONCLUSION: Surgeons in our setting overcame the learning curve for laparoscopic appendectomy after performing 28 procedures. Moreover, laparoscopic appendectomy is safe and feasible throughout the learning curve. CUSUM analysis should be applied to other laparoscopic procedures and individualized by surgical teams to improve surgical performance and patient outcomes in low-resource settings.

Observation on the Effect of Rapid Rehabilitation Nursing with Integrated Medical Care in Perioperative Period of Laparoscopic Appendicitis in Children.

AIM: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdomen in pediatric surgery. The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of integrated rapid rehabilitation nursing in children with laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) during the perioperative period. METHODS: A total of 200 children with appendicitis who underwent LA in our hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 were retrospectively selected as the study subjects. According to the nursing mode, they were divided into a control group (n = 100) and an observation group (n = 100). The control group was treated with routine nursing intervention, and the observation group was treated with an integrated rapid rehabilitation nursing intervention. Perioperative indices (operation time, first postoperative exhaust time, length of hospital stay) were recorded and compared between the two groups. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to score the two groups at 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h after surgery, and the pain degree of the children was quantitatively evaluated. The levels of serum stress response indices (cortisol (Cor), norepinephrine (NE), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)) in the two groups were measured. The incidence of postoperative complications, improvement of postoperative quality of life, and nursing satisfaction were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The operation time, first postoperative exhaust time, and hospitalization time in the observation group were significantly shorter than those in the control group (p < 0.05), and the VAS scores of the patients in the observation group were lower than those in the control group at each time point of 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h after surgery (p < 0.05). One hour after surgery, the serum Cor, NE, and ACTH levels of the two groups of patients were significantly higher than those before surgery, and the levels for the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05). After treatment, the quality of life scores of patients in both groups was significantly higher than before treatment, and the quality of life scores of patients in the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p < 0.05). The postoperative complication rate of the observation group was 3.00% (3/100), which was significantly lower than that of the control group (13.00% (13/100)) (χ2 = 6.793, p = 0.009). The nursing satisfaction of the observation group was 95.00% (95/100), which was significantly higher than that of the control group (79.00% (79/100)) (χ2 = 11.317, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The integrated rapid rehabilitation nursing management mode is an intervention that can effectively alleviate the effects of LA on stress reactions and pain in children with appendicitis. It can effectively reduce the incidence of postoperative complications and improve the patient's nursing satisfaction, allowing children with appendicitis to recover as soon as possible after surgery, and can improve patients' quality of life. It helps to improve the overall clinical efficacy, and the treatment process is simple to operate, relatively safe and reliable, has high use value, and is worthy of further promotion in clinical treatment.

Low Pressure versus Standard Pressure Pneumoperitoneum in Laparoscopic Appendectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The creation of pneumoperitoneum using higher pressure is believed to be associated with increased postoperative abdominal pain. AIM: This study aimed to compare postoperative abdominal pain following low pressure laparoscopic appendectomy and standard pressure laparoscopic appendectomy. METHODS: This was a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of 54 patients aged between 18 and 56 years with clinical and/or radiologic diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The patients were randomly allocated to two groups: low pressure laparoscopic appendectomy (n = 26) and standard pressure laparoscopic appendectomy (n = 28). The intra-abdominal pressure was kept in either low pressure (9 mm Hg) or standard pressure (13 mm Hg). Abdominal and shoulder pain scores were assessed using the visual analog scale at 6 hours and 3 days post procedure. Postoperative analgesia requirement, duration of surgery, complications, and hospital stay were recorded. RESULTS: Both groups match for the demographic parameters. Three patients required conversion from low to standard pressure. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of abdominal pain (P = 0.86) and shoulder pain (P = 0.33), duration of surgery (P = 0.51), complications (P = 0.17), and length of hospital stay (P = 0.83). CONCLUSION: The use of low pressure pneumoperitoneum did not reduce the incidence of abdominal pain in patients who had laparoscopic appendectomy. Patients with acute appendicitis can be treated with either low or normal pressure pneumoperitoneum depending on the experience of the surgeon.

Laparoscopy experience in East, Central, and Southern Africa: insights from operative case volume analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the primary objective of addressing the disparity in global surgical care access, the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA) trains surgeons. While sufficient operative experience is crucial for surgical training, the extent of utilization of minimally invasive techniques during COSECSA training remains understudied. METHODS: We conducted an extensive review of COSECSA general surgery trainees' operative case logs from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020, focusing on the utilization of minimally invasive surgical procedures. Our primary objective was to determine the prevalence of laparoscopic procedures and compare this to open procedures. We analyzed the distribution of laparoscopic cases across common indications such as cholecystectomy, appendicitis, and hernia operations. Additionally, we examined the impact of trainee autonomy, country development index, and hospital type on laparoscopy utilization. RESULTS: Among 68,659 total cases, only 616 (0.9%) were laparoscopic procedures. Notably, 34 cases were conducted during trainee external rotations in countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, and India. Gallbladder and appendix pathologies were most frequent among the 582 recorded laparoscopic cases performed in Africa. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy accounted for 29% (276 of 975 cases), laparoscopic appendectomy for 3% (76 of 2548 cases), and laparoscopic hernia repairs for 0.5% (26 of 5620 cases). Trainees self-reported lower autonomy for laparoscopic (22.5%) than open cases (61.5%). Laparoscopy usage was more prevalent in upper-middle-income (2.7%) and lower-middle-income countries (0.8%) compared with lower-income countries (0.5%) (p < 0.001). Private (1.6%) and faith-based hospitals (1.5%) showed greater laparoscopy utilization than public hospitals (0.5%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the relatively low utilization of minimally invasive techniques in surgical training within the ECSA region. Laparoscopic cases remain a minority, with variations observed based on specific diagnoses. The findings suggest a need to enhance exposure to minimally invasive procedures to ensure well-rounded training and proficiency in these techniques.

Navigating appendicitis care during the Covid-19 pandemic: a retrospective cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2019 initiated a global transformation in healthcare practices, particularly with respect to hospital management. PCR testing mandates for medical treatment seekers were introduced to mitigate virus transmission. AIMS: This study examines the impact of these changes on the management of patients with appendicitis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records for 748 patients diagnosed with appendicitis who underwent surgery at a tertiary care hospital during two distinct periods, the pre-pandemic year 2019 and the post-pandemic year 2021. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, laboratory data, surgical outcomes, and hospital stay duration were assessed. RESULTS: While no significant differences were observed in the general characteristics of patients between the two groups, the time from hospital visit to operation increased significantly during the pandemic. Unexpectedly, delayed surgical intervention was associated with shorter hospital stays but did not directly impact complication rates. There was no discernible variation in the type of surgery or surgical timing based on symptom onset. The pandemic also prompted an increase in appendicitis cases, potentially related to coronavirus protein expression within the appendix. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the landscape of appendicitis management. This study underscores the complex interplay of factors, including changes in hospital protocols, patient concerns, and surgical timing. Further research is needed to explore the potential link between COVID-19 and appendicitis. These insights are valuable for informing healthcare practices during and beyond the pandemic.

The use of C-reactive protein to predict uncomplicated appendicitis and increase uptake of laparoscopy in low resource hospitals-A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis remains the most common surgical emergency worldwide. There has been a low uptake of laparoscopic appendicectomy in the South African public sector. Preoperative identification of cases of uncomplicated appendicitis that are amenable to a laparoscopic approach may facilitate the implementation of laparoscopic appendicectomy programs in training hospitals. With limited access to preoperative imaging, alternative strategies for this preoperative prediction are needed. METHODS: A retrospective audit of patients over the age of 12 years with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of acute appendicitis over a 5-year period was performed. Patients were categorized as uncomplicated or complicated appendicitis and C-reactive protein (CRP) and white cell count (WCC) reviewed. Receiver operating characteristics curves were constructed for these blood tests and acute appendicitis severity. Youden's J statistic was used to determine optimal cut off values for diagnosing complicated appendicitis. RESULTS: 358 patients had confirmed appendicitis and complete blood results. Of these, 189 (52.79%) had complicated appendicitis with a 40.22% perforation rate. Median CRP in uncomplicated and complicated groups were 68 mg/L (IQR 19-142) and 216 mg/L (IQR 103-313) with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.70-0.80). The median WCC in the two groups were 12.6 × 109 cells/L (IQR 9.9-15.6) and 14.4 × 109 cells/L (IQR 11.5-18.28) with an AUC of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.56-0.67). The optimal cut off value for CRP was found to be 110 mg/L with a sensitivity of 74.74% and specificity of 69.23%. CONCLUSION: A cutoff value of 110 mg/dl CRP can distinguish patients with early appendicitis from those with complicated disease and when used in conjunction with clinical assessment may help identify patients in whom laparoscopic appendicectomy is appropriate.