Multi-institutional Trial of Non-operative Management of Uncomplicated Pediatric Appendicitis
A successful non-operative management strategy for early appendicitis will decrease the number of children requiring surgery and may improve the quality of care related to the treatment of appendicitis. To account for the child-family perspective and treatment preferences, the investigators will perform a study in which patients and their families choose between antibiotics alone (Non-operative group) or appendectomy (Surgery group) at ten U.S. hospitals. This study will determine the effectiveness of non-operative management of early appendicitis with antibiotics alone in children and compare differences in morbidity, disability, quality of life, satisfaction, and cost between families choosing surgery or non-operative management.
• English and non-English speaking patients
• Age : 8-17 years
• US or CT confirmed early appendicitis with US showing hyperemia, ≤ 1.1 cm in diameter, compressible or non-compressible, no abscess, no fecalith, no phlegmon or CT showing hyperemia, fat stranding, ≤ 1.1 cm in diameter, no abscess, no fecalith, no phlegmon
• White Blood Cell count \> 5,000/µL and ≤ 18,000/µL
• Abdominal pain ≤ 48hours prior to receiving antibiotics