[Antibiotic treatment vs. appendectomy for non-perforated appendicitis in adults]

Retrospective analysis of the incidence of appendiceal neoplasm and malignancy in patients treated for suspected acute appendicitis

BACKGROUND

Nonoperative management of uncomplicated appendicitis is currently being promoted as treatment option, albeit 0.7-2.5% of appendectomies performed due to suspected acute appendicitis show histologically malignant findings. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of neoplasm and malignancy of the appendix in patients presenting with suspected acute appendicitis in real world setting.

METHODS

This is a retrospective single-centre investigation of 457 patients undergoing appendectomy between the years 2017-2020. The patients' demographics, symptoms and diagnosis, intraoperative findings, and histopathological results were analysed.

RESULTS

In 3.7% (n = 17) histological analysis revealed neoplasms or malignancies. Median age was 48 years (20-90 years), without sex predominance. Leukocytes (11.3 ± 3.7 G/l) and C-reactive protein (54.2 ± 69.0 mg/l) were elevated. Histological analysis revealed low-grade mucinous appendiceal neoplasia (n = 3), sessile serrated adenoma of the appendix (n = 3), neuroendocrine tumours (n = 7), appendiceal adenocarcinoma of intestinal type (n = 3), and goblet cell carcinoma (n = 1). Additional treatment varied between no treatment or follow-up due to early tumour stage (n = 4), follow-up care (n = 3), additional surgical treatment (n = 8), or best supportive care (n = 2).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative diagnosis of appendiceal tumours is difficult. Nonoperative management of patients with acute, uncomplicated appendicitis potentially prevents the correct diagnosis of malignant appendiceal pathologies. Therefore, close follow-up or surgical removal of the appendix is mandatory.

Laparoscopic Appendectomy: A Safe and Definitive Solution for Suspected Appendicitis

Introduction

Since conservative antibiotic treatment in uncomplicated appendicitis might not solve the clinical problem definitively, it has to compete with the results of today's laparoscopic appendectomy.

Methods

In a county hospital, accommodating also a pediatric department, all cases of appendectomy for suspected appendicitis over 15 years were analyzed retrospectively for the following items: beginning of symptoms, time from admission to surgery, surgical technique as "open," "laparoscopic" or "converted," if perforated at operation and histological confirmation of acute inflammation. Surgical morbidity was detected in distinct categories. To evaluate changes over time, 3 time periods of 5 years each were defined.

Results

Resulting in a total of 1,956 cases there were 731 in group I, 633 in group II and 592 in group III within the 3 time periods, respectively. The median age was 17 years. The percentage of perforations was 16.8%. Those patients had - with 47 compared to 27 h - a significantly prolonged time from the beginning of symptoms to admission (p = 0.0001). The proportion of laparoscopic surgery rose from 83.3 (group I) to 98.3% (group III; p = 0.0001). The median postoperative hospital stay diminished from 4 to 3 days in nonperforated (p = 0.0001) and from 8 to 7 days in perforated cases (p = 0.0009). Surgical morbidity was reduced from 4.1% in the first to 1.7% in the third observation period (p = 0.0144). There were no surgical site infections during the last 5 years.

Conclusions

Timely laparoscopic appendectomy in case of suspected appendicitis can be offered with an extraordinary low morbidity. Taking into account the complete solution of the otherwise pending threat, compared to conservative antibiotic treatment, it is safe and definitive.