The Alvarado score should be used to reduce emergency department length of stay and radiation exposure in select patients with abdominal pain.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal pain is the common reason patients seek treatment in emergency departments (ED), and computed tomography (CT) is frequently used for diagnosis; however, length of stay (LOS) in the ED and risks of radiation remain a concern. The hypothesis of this study was the Alvarado score (AS) could be used to reduce CT scans and decrease ED LOS for patients with suspected acute appendicitis (AA). METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who underwent CT to rule out AA from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015, was performed. Patient demographics, medical history, ED documentation, operative interventions, complications, and LOS were all collected. Alvarado score was calculated from the medical record. Time to CT completion was calculated from times the patient was seen by ED staff, CT order, and CT report. RESULTS: Four hundred ninety-two patients (68.1% female; median age, 33 years) met the inclusion criteria. Most CT scans (70%) did not have findings consistent with AA. Median AS for AA on CT scan was 7, compared with 3 for negative CT (p < 0.001). One hundred percent of female patients with AS of 10 and males with AS of 9 or greater had AA confirmed by surgical pathology. Conversely, 5% or less of female patients with AS of 2 or less and 0% of male patients with AS of 1 or less were diagnosed with AA. One hundred six (21.5%) patients had an AS within these ranges and collectively spent 10,239 minutes in the ED from the time of the CT order until the radiologist's report. CONCLUSION: Males with an AS of 9 or greater and females with AS of 10 should be considered for treatment of AA without imaging. Males with AS of 1 or less and females with AS of 2 or less can be safely discharged with follow-up. Using AS, a significant proportion of patients can avoid the radiation risk, the increased cost, and increased ED LOS associated with CT. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic IV, therapeutic IV.

Is antisecretory therapy after pancreatoduodenectomy necessary? Meta-analysis and contemporary practices of pancreatic surgeons.

BACKGROUND: Marginal ulcer (MU) is a well-described complication of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) whose incidence remains unclear. Gastric antisecretory medications likely attenuate the risk of marginal ulceration after PD; however, the true relationship between antisecretory medication and marginal ulceration after PD is not precisely known. The aims of this study were to document the incidence of MU after PD, identify any relationship between MU and gastric antisecretory medication, and survey current practice of MU prophylaxis among experienced pancreatic surgeons. METHODS: the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Registrar of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews databases were searched from their inception to May 2014 for abstracts documenting ulceration after pancreatoduodenectomy. Two reviewers independently graded abstracts for inclusion in this review. Contemporary practice was assessed through a four-question survey distributed globally to 200 established pancreatic surgeons. RESULTS: After a review of 208 abstracts, 54 studies were graded as relevant. These represented a cohort of 212 patients with marginal ulcer after PD (n = 4794). A meta-analysis of the included references shows mean incidence of ulceration after PD of 2.5% (confidence interval (CI) 1.8-3.2%) with a median time to diagnosis of 15.5 months. Pylorus preservation was associated with a MU rate of 2.0% (CI 1.0-2.9%), while "classic" PD procedures report an overall rate of 2.6% (CI 1.6-3.6%). Documented use of postoperative antisecretory medication was associated with a reduced rate of 1.4% (CI 0.1-1.7%). One hundred forty-four of 200 (72%) surveys were returned, from which it was determined that 92% of pancreatic surgeons have dealt with this complication, and 86% routinely prescribe prophylactic antisecretory medication after PD. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of MU after PD is 2.5% with a median time to occurrence of 15.5 months postoperatively. Gastric antisecretory medication prescription may affect the incidence of MU. The majority of pancreatic surgeons surveyed have encountered MU after PD; most (86%) routinely prescribe prophylactic gastric antisecretory medication.