Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Clinical guidelines, computed tomography scan, and negative appendectomies: a case series.

Chad Harswick1, Amy Archer Uyenishi, Mary Frances Kordick

  • 1Resurrection Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60631, USA.

The American Journal of Emergency Medicine
|December 13, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans significantly reduce negative appendectomy rates. This imaging is crucial for accurate appendicitis diagnosis, especially in younger patients where negative appendectomies are more common.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

SARS-CoV-2 and croup, not a rare coincidence.

The American journal of emergency medicine·2022
Same author

Positive Predictive Value of Noninvasive Stress Testing Is Poor in the Real World.

Critical pathways in cardiology·2018
Same author

Pyuria and Urine Cultures in Patients with Acute Renal Colic.

The Journal of emergency medicine·2016
Same author

Assessing knowledge base on geriatric competencies for emergency medicine residents.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2014
Same author

Multidimensional attitudes of emergency medicine residents toward older adults.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2014
Same author

Education on prehospital pain management: a follow-up study.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2013

Area of Science:

  • Medical Imaging
  • Surgical Outcomes
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Negative appendectomy rates are a measure of diagnostic accuracy in appendicitis.
  • Preoperative abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans are increasingly used to aid diagnosis.
  • This study evaluates the impact of CT scans on negative appendectomy rates in a community hospital setting.

Observation:

  • A retrospective review of 122 appendectomy cases was conducted over one year.
  • Eight cases (6.6%) were identified as negative appendectomies.
  • Six of these negative appendectomies occurred in patients younger than 20 years.

Findings:

  • Patients undergoing preoperative CT scans had a significantly lower negative appendectomy rate (3.8%) compared to those without CT (25%).

Related Experiment Videos

  • The odds of a negative appendectomy were 8.5 times higher in patients who did not have a preoperative CT scan (P = .01).
  • The majority of negative appendectomies occurred in patients under 20 years of age.

    • Implications:

    • Preoperative CT scans are valuable tools for improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing unnecessary surgeries for suspected appendicitis.
    • Targeted use of CT may be particularly beneficial in younger patient populations where clinical presentation can be ambiguous.
    • Optimizing imaging protocols can lead to better patient outcomes and resource utilization in emergency surgical care.