Appendicitis
Conditions
Keywords
appendicitis, COVID-19, negative appendicectomy rate, computer tomography, ultrasonography, pre-operative imaging
Brief summary
This is a retrospective observational study in the form of a cohort study evaluating the use of pre-operative imaging for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in a tertiary centre during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. The study group includes all patients who underwent emergency appendicectomy for suspected acute appendicitis between March 2020 and February 2021, while the control group includes all patients who underwent emergency appendicectomy for suspected acute appendicitis between March 2019 and February 2020. The final histology will be used as primary outcome, as the study hypothesis is that increasing the use of pre-operative imaging will reduce the negative appendicectomy rate.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTPre-operative imaging
Use of pre-operative imaging or the diagnosis of acute appendicitis
Sponsors
University College London Hospitals
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
RETROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Patients of all ages who underwent emergency appendicectomy (either laparoscopic or open) for suspected acute appendicitis * Patients of all ages who underwent partial ileo-caecectomy or right hemicolectomy for suspected acute appendicitis
Exclusion criteria
* Patients who underwent elective interval appendicectomy for a previous appendiceal phlegmon * Patients who underwent appendicectomy or right hemicolectomy for appendiceal tumours * Patients who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy for suspected acute appendicitis, where the appendix was not removed
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Negative Appendicectomy Rate (NAR) | Up to 3 weeks post-operatively (when final Histology is ready) | Number of patients with final histology negative for acute appendicitis |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Operative Length of Stay | Assessed on day 30 after the completion of the study | Post-operative length of hospital stay (from post-operative day 1) |
| Post-Operative Complications Rate | Within 30 post-operative days | Number of patients who had post-operative complications |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed