The Intraperitoneal Use of Cephazolin: A Novelty in the Prevention of Intra-abdominal Abscess after Laparoscopic Appendectomy in Children.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic appendectomy followed by postoperative intravenous (IV) antibiotics is the standard of care for acute appendicitis and postoperative prevention of intra-abdominal abscesses. The aim of or study was to determine if intraperitoneal irrigation with antibiotics could help prevent intra-abdominal abscess formation after laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated appendicitis in pediatric patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on consecutive pediatric patients with acute appendicitis who had appendectomy in our Pediatric Surgery Department between August 2020 and February 2022. We compared two groups with similar age and symptoms. The first group (A) was treated with the normal standard of care, i.e., laparoscopic appendectomy and postoperative IV antibiotic therapy. For the second group (B) intraperitoneal cefazoline irrigation was added at the end of the laparoscopic procedure. Postoperative intra-abdominal abscess was diagnosed with ultrasound examination, performed after clinical suspicion/abnormal blood test results. RESULTS: One hundred sixty patients (males:females 109:51; median age 10.5 years [range 3-17 years]) who had laparosopic appendectomy for complicated appendicitis were included, 82 in group A and 78 in group B. In the first 7 days after surgery, 18 patients in group and 5 in group B developed an intra-abdominal abscess (p < 0.005). Drains were positioned in 38 patients in group A vs. 9 in group B. One patient in group A had a different complication which was infection of the surgical incision. CONCLUSIONS: Intraperitoneal cefazoline irrigation at the end of the laparoscopic appendectomy in pediatric patients significantly reduces the formation of intra-abdominal abscesses.

Surgical management of complicated Crohn's disease.

Surgical management of pediatric Crohn's disease is fundamentally palliative, aiming to treat the sequalae of complicated disease while preserving intestinal length. Multidisciplinary discussion of risk factors and quality of life should take place prior to operative intervention. Though the surgical management of pediatric Crohn's disease is largely based on the adult literature, there are considerations specific to the pediatric population - notably disease and treatment effects on growth and development. Intrabdominal abscess is approached with percutaneous drainage when feasible, reserving surgical intervention for the patient who is unstable or failing medical therapy. Pediatric patients with fibrostenotic disease should be considered for strictureplasty when possible, for maximum preservation of bowel length. Patients with medically refractory Crohn's proctocolitis should be treated initially with fecal diversion without proctocolectomy.

A Rare Case of Retroperitoneal Abscess Caused by Nephro-Colic Fistula Resulting from Staghorn Calculus.

BACKGROUND Nephro-colic fistulas are uncommon, generally caused by local inflammation, trauma, or neoplasia affecting the kidney or the colon. Their association with a coralliform stone is described in a few case reports, but their management is difficult and differs quite a lot, depending on the clinical situation. We report an atypical clinical case of a reno-colic fistula associated with a staghorn calculus. This case adds to the literature an iconography rarely found. CASE REPORT A 68-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department with respiratory symptoms and chronic abdominal pain. The biological results showed a high inflammatory syndrome. The radiological assessment revealed a retroperitoneal and left retro-renal abscess, attributed to a left nephro-colic fistula associated with the partial passage of a lithiasis within the colonic lumen. Colonoscopy confirmed the diagnosis. Multiple recurrences of diverticulitis in this region could be the origin of the complication. First, the patient was treated with antibiotic therapy and radiological drainage. Second, she benefited from a left nephrectomy, left segmental colectomy, and splenectomy. The clinical and radiological evolution were favorable after surgery. The follow-up was disrupted by hospitalizations in the Cardiology Department for cardiac decompensation. CONCLUSIONS Kidney stones along with local inflammatory phenomena can be the cause of a nephro-colic fistula. Due to the lack of guidelines in such cases, their diagnosis and management are difficult to ascertain. Surgery is the right course of treatment.

Acute Peritonitis and Pelvic Abscess Secondary to Abdominal Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, continues to be a global health concern with high morbidity and mortality rates. Extrapulmonary TB (EPTB), which affects various organs beyond the lungs, presents a diagnostic challenge due to its diverse clinical and radiological manifestations. Herein, we describe the case of a middle-aged woman with severe lower abdominal pain, vomiting, night fevers, and other symptoms. Clinical and radiological examinations revealed pelvic abscesses and peritonitis. Exploratory laparoscopy uncovered intraabdominal adhesions, a pus-containing abscess cavities, and biopsies confirmed Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Post-operative pulmonology consultations comprising sputum cultures for TB detection were conducted, and the patient was started on anti-tuberculosis medications. This case highlights the complexity of diagnosing abdominal TB and the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach.

Effect of intraoperative abdominal lavage versus suction alone on postoperative wound infection in patients with appendicitis: A meta-analysis.

There is much controversy about the application of abdominal irrigation in the prevention of wound infection (WI) and intra-abdominal abscess (IAA) in the postoperative period. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of the effect of suctioning and lavage on appendectomy to assess the efficacy of either suctioning or lavage. Data were collected and estimated with RevMan 5.3 software. Based on our research, we found 563 publications in our database, and we eventually chose seven of them to analyse. The main results were IAA after the operation and WI. Inclusion criteria were clinical trials of an appendectomy with suctioning or lavage. In the end, seven trials were chosen to meet the eligibility criteria, and the majority were retrospective. The results of seven studies showed that there was no statistically significant difference between abdominal lavage and suctioning treatment for post-operative WI (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 0.40, 2.61; p = 0.96); There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the risk of postoperative abdominal abscess after operation (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.71, 1.89; p = 0.56). No evidence has been found that the use of abdominal lavage in the treatment of postoperative infectious complications after appendectomy is superior to aspiration.

Lack of Routine Postoperative Labs Not Associated With Complications in Pediatric Perforated Appendicitis.

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative (postop) management of pediatric perforated appendicitis varies significantly, and postop intra-abdominal abscesses (IAA) remain a significant issue. Between 2019 and 2020, our standardized protocol included routine postop labs after an appendectomy for perforated appendicitis. However, given the lack of predictive utility of these routine labs, we discontinued this practice in 2021. We hypothesize that discontinuing routine postop labs will not be associated with an increase in complication rates after an appendectomy for pediatric perforated appendicitis. METHODS: A single-institution, retrospective review of all pediatric appendectomies for perforated appendicitis from January 2019 to December 2021 was conducted at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Data were collected on rate of complications (IAA development, re-admissions, bowel obstructions, superficial surgical site infections, intensive care unit transfers, Clostridium difficile infections, allergic reactions, and transfusions), postop imaging, postop interventions, and length of stay. Statistical analysis was completed using Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: A total of 109 patients (2019-2020 n = 61, 2021 n = 48) were included in the study. All 61 patients from 2019 to 2020 had postop labs compared to only eight patients in 2021. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in overall complication rates, but there was a decrease in IAAs reported in 2021 (P = 0.03). There were no statistically significant differences in other complications, postop imaging usage, or postop interventions. The median length of stay was 4.5 d in 2021 compared to 6.0 d in 2019-2020 (P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Discontinuing routine postop labs is not associated with an increase in overall complications rates. Further studies are needed to determine whether routine postop labs can be safely removed in pediatric patients with perforated appendicitis, which would reduce patient discomfort and care costs.

MultiCenter Study of Intra-Abdominal Abscess Formation After Major Operative Hepatic Trauma.

INTRODUCTION: One of the significant complications of operative liver trauma is intra-abdominal abscesses (IAA). The objective of this study was to determine risk factors associated with postoperative IAA in surgical patients with major operative liver trauma. METHODS: A retrospective multi-institutional study was performed at 13 Level 1 and Level 2 trauma centers from 2012 to 2021. Adult patients with major liver trauma (grade 3 and higher) requiring operative management were enrolled. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-two patients were included with 21.2% (n = 79/372) developing an IAA. No difference was found for age, gender, injury severity score, liver injury grade, and liver resections in patients between the groups (P > 0.05). Penetrating mechanism of injury (odds ratio (OR) 3.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.54-7.57, P = 0.02), intraoperative massive transfusion protocol (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.23-4.79, P = 0.01), biloma/bile leak (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.01-4.53, P = 0.04), hospital length of stay (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.06, P < 0.001), and additional intra-abdominal injuries (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.09-4.72, P = 0.03) were independent risk factors for IAA. Intra-abdominal drains, damage control laparotomy, total units of packed red blood cells, number of days with an open abdomen, total abdominal surgeries, and blood loss during surgery were not found to be associated with a higher risk of IAA. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with penetrating trauma, massive transfusion protocol activation, longer hospital length of stay, and injuries to other intra-abdominal organs were at higher risk for the development of an IAA following operative liver trauma. Results from this study could help to refine existing guidelines for managing complex operative traumatic liver injuries.

Antibiotic treatment of post-appendectomy abscesses in children, regardless of size: a twelve years' experience.

Intra-abdominal abscesses are a common issue after appendectomy. Antibiotics have shown efficacy in treating smaller abscesses, while larger ones have traditionally been treated with drainage. This study assesses the efficacy of antibiotics for post-appendectomy intra-abdominal abscess (PAA) in children regardless of size. Case-control study of children with PAA admitted at our hospital from 2010 to 2022. The efficacy of antibiotics was compared between abscesses less and more than 6 cm in diameter. The Institutional Review Board has approved this study. A total of 1766 appendectomies were performed from 2010 to 2022 with an incidence of PAA of 5% (n = 89): age 9.3 IQR 5.8, 63% male (n = 56). Sixty-seven patients presented with a ≤ 6 cm abscess (controls) and 22 children had a > 6 cm PAA (cases). Length of intravenous antibiotics were higher in cases (15 IQR 7 days) than controls (12 IQR 4 days), p = 0.003. The efficacy of antibiotics in controls was 97% whereas 86.4% in cases (p = 0.094), reoperation was needed in 2/67 controls and 3/22 cases, with no differences in complications or readmission. The length of stay was longer in cases (15 IQR 6 days) than controls (13 IQR 5 days), p = 0.042. Antibiotics seem a safe treatment for PAA in children regardless of the size. However, this approach is associated with a longer period of intravenous antibiotics and hospital stay, although not with a higher rate of therapeutic failure, complications or reoperations.

Complicated appendicitis with scrotal fistula: case report and review of the literature.

Appendicitis is the most common emergency abdominal surgery today. Although its common complications are well-known, retroperi-toneal abscess and scrotal abscess are rare and less known complications. In this study, we presented our patient who presented with appendicitis complicated with retroperitoneal abscess and scrotal fistula after appendectomy, and the literature review we conducted through PubMed. A 69-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with complaints of abdominal pain, nausea-vomiting continuing for about 7 days, and fever and mental status change in the last 24 h. He was taken to emergency surgery with the pre-liminary diagnosis of perforation and retroperitoneal abscess. At laparotomy, perforated appendicitis and associated retroperitoneal abscess were seen. An appendectomy was performed, and the abscess was drained. The patient, who stayed in the intensive care unit for 4 days due to sepsis, was discharged on the 15th postoperative day with full recovery. He was admitted 15 days after his discharge because of an abscess from the scrotum. Percutaneous drainage was performed in the patient, whose tomography revealed an abscess extending from the retroperitoneal area to the left scrotum. The patient, whose abscess regressed, was discharged with recovery 17 days after hospitalization. These rare complications associated with appendicitis should be on the minds of surgeons to make an early diagnosis. Delay in treatment may lead to increased morbidity and mortality.

Splenic abscess due to non-operative management of splenic injury: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Splenic abscess is a rare disease, with incidence of 0.2-0.7% in previous studies. It often appears with left upper quadrant abdominal pain, fever, chills. Splenic abscess often happens because of hematogenous spreading of infections, endocarditis, angioembolization and some other rare reasons. Treatment relies on one of these two methods: percutaneous drainage or surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old diabetic Asian female (Asian woman) presented with generalized abdominal pain, low blood pressure, tachycardia, fever, lethargy and elevated level of blood sugar. She had history of conservative therapy in intensive care unit due to blunt abdominal trauma and splenic injury. She had a huge splenic abscess in ultrasonography and computed tomography scan so she went under splenectomy. Our patient had a splenic abscess without performing any intervention like angioembolization. CONCLUSION: Immune compromised patients who are selected for nonoperative management after splenic injury need close follow up and evaluating about abscess formation for at least 2 weeks. Early diagnosis and treatment with two methods including percutaneous drainage or splenectomy should be considered and it depends on patient's risk factors, vital signs, general conditions and presence or absence of sepsis.

Can magnetic resonance imaging replace computed tomography scans in the evaluation of pediatric post-appendectomy abscess?

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography scans have been used when cross-axial imaging is required to evaluate pediatric post-appendectomy abscesses. To reduce a source of radiation exposure, our institution converted to using contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging to replace computed tomography scans in this clinical context. Our aim is to evaluate the performance of magnetic resonance imaging compared to computed tomography scans and associated clinical outcomes in this patient population. METHODS: A contrast-enhanced comprehensive magnetic resonance imaging protocol was implemented to evaluate a post-appendectomy abscess in 2018. A retrospective chart review was performed from 2015 to 2022 for pediatric patients (<18 years old) with prior appendectomy and subsequent cross-sectional imaging to evaluate for an intraabdominal abscess. Patient characteristics and clinical parameters between the 2 modalities were abstracted and compared using standard univariate statistics. RESULTS: There were a total of 72 post-appendectomy patients who received cross-axial imaging, which included 43 computed tomography scans and 29 magnetic resonance imaging during the study interval. Patient demographics were comparable between cohorts and rates of perforated appendicitis at the index operation (computed tomography: 79.1% vs magnetic resonance imaging: 86.2%). Missed abscess rate, abscess size, management technique, drainage culture results, readmission, and reoperation were similar between imaging modalities. Median request to scan time was longer for magnetic resonance imaging than computed tomography (191.5 vs 108 minutes, P = .04). The median duration of a comprehensive magnetic resonance imaging scan was 32 minutes (interquartile range 28-50.5 minutes). CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging provides an alternative cross-sectional imaging modality to computed tomography scans to evaluate pediatric post-appendectomy abscesses.

Diverticulitis with abscess formation: Outcomes of non-operative management and nomogram for predicting emergency surgery: The Diplicab Study Collaborative Group.

BACKGROUND: To assess short- and long-term outcomes from non-surgical management of diverticulitis with abscess formation and to develop a nomogram to predict emergency surgery. METHODS: This nationwide retrospective cohort study was performed in 29 Spanish referral centers, including patients with a first episode of a diverticular abscess (modified Hinchey Ib-II) from 2015 to 2019. Emergency surgery, complications, and recurrent episodes were analyzed. Regression analysis was used to assess risk factors, and a nomogram for emergency surgery was designed. RESULTS: Overall, 1,395 patients were included (1,078 Hinchey Ib and 317 Hinchey II). Most (1,184, 84.9%) patients were treated with antibiotics without percutaneous drainage, and 194 (13.90%) patients required emergency surgery during admission. Percutaneous drainage (208 patients) was associated with a lower risk of emergency surgery in patients with abscesses of ≥5 cm (19.9% vs 29.3%, P = .035; odds ratio 0.59 [0.37-0.96]). The multivariate analysis showed that immunosuppression treatment, C-reactive protein (odds ratio: 1.003; 1.001-1.005), free pneumoperitoneum (odds ratio: 3.01; 2.04-4.44), Hinchey II (odds ratio: 2.15; 1.42-3.26), abscess size 3 to 4.9 cm (odds ratio: 1.87; 1.06-3.29), abscess size ≥5 cm (odds ratio: 3.62; 2.08-6.32), and use of morphine (odds ratio: 3.68; 2.29-5.92) were associated with emergency surgery. A nomogram was developed with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.81 (95% confidence interval: 0.77-0.85). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous drainage must be considered in abscesses ≥5 cm to reduce emergency surgery rates; however, there are insufficient data to recommend it in smaller abscesses. The use of the nomogram could help the surgeon develop a targeted approach.

Effect of endoscopic loop ties in acute appendicitis on wound infection rate: A meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis study to measure the consequence of endoscopic loop ties (ELT) in acute appendicitis (AA) on wound infection rate. A comprehensive literature inspection till February 2023 was applied and 2765 interrelated studies were reviewed. The 27 chosen studies enclosed 15 093 subjects with AA in the chosen studies' starting point, 7141 of them were ELT, and 7952 were open surgery. Odds ratio (OR) in addition to 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compute the value of the effect of ELT in AA on wound infection rate by the dichotomous and continuous styles and a fixed or random model. Open surgery had a significantly higher postoperative surgical site wound infection (SSWI). (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.09-1.83, P = 0.009) with low heterogeneity (I2 = 34%) compared to ELT in AA subjects. Although no significant difference was detected between open surgery and ELT in intra-abdominal abscess rate (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.56-1.40, P = 0.59) with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 51%) in AA subjects. Open surgery had a significantly higher postoperative SSWI, however, no significant difference was found in intra-abdominal abscess rate compared to ELT in AA subjects. However, caused by the small sample sizes of several chosen studies for this meta-analysis, care must be exercised when dealing with its values.

Early surgery for perforated appendicitis: Are we moving the needle on postoperative abscess?

BACKGROUND: Perforated appendicitis is often managed nonoperatively though upfront surgery is becoming more common. We describe postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing surgery at their index hospitalization for perforated appendicitis. METHODS: We used the 2016-2020 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to identify patients with appendicitis who underwent appendectomy or partial colectomy. The primary outcome was surgical site infection (SSI). RESULTS: 132,443 patients with appendicitis underwent immediate surgery. Of 14.1% patients with perforated appendicitis, 84.3% underwent laparoscopic appendectomy. Intra-abdominal abscess rates were lowest after laparoscopic appendectomy (9.4%). Open appendectomy (OR 5.14, 95% CI 4.06-6.51) and laparoscopic partial colectomy (OR 4.60, 95% CI 2.38-8.89) were associated with higher likelihoods of SSIs. CONCLUSIONS: Upfront surgical management of perforated appendicitis is now predominantly approached by laparoscopy, often without bowel resection. Postoperative complications occurred less frequently with laparoscopic appendectomy compared to other approaches. Laparoscopic appendectomy during the index hospitalization is an effective approach to perforated appendicitis.

Drain placement in paediatric complicated appendicitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Children undergoing appendicectomy for complicated appendicitis are at an increased risk of post-operative morbidity. Placement of an intra-peritoneal drain to prevent post-operative complications is controversial. We aimed to assess the efficacy of prophylactic drain placement to prevent complications in children with complicated appendicitis. A systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Cochrane, MEDLINE and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to November 2022 for studies directly comparing drain placement to no drain placement in children ≤ 18 years of age undergoing operative treatment of complicated appendicitis. A total of 5108 children with complicated appendicitis were included from 16 studies; 2231 (44%) received a drain. Placement of a drain associated with a significantly increased risk of intra-peritoneal abscess formation (odds ratio [OR] 1.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-2.24, p = 0.004) but there was no significant difference in wound infection rate (OR 1.46, 95% CI 0.74-2.88, p = 0.28). Length of stay was significantly longer in the drain group (mean difference 2.02 days, 95% CI 1.14-2.90, p < 0.001). Although the quality and certainty of the available evidence is low, prophylactic drain placement does not prevent intra-peritoneal abscess following appendicectomy in children with complicated appendicitis.