Complicated appendicitis in children: a clear role for drainage and delayed appendectomy

Children presenting with complicated appendicitis represent a common and challenging problem. Conflicting data exist concerning optimal treatment of these patients with primary versus delayed appendectomy.

A retrospective review of all children undergoing appendectomy over a 5-year period was performed.

We identified 1,106 children: 360 had evidence of perforation and 92 had an intra-abdominal abscess or right lower quadrant phlegmon. Of these 92, 60 underwent primary appendectomy and 32 underwent drainage and/or antibiotic therapy with delayed appendectomy. Children undergoing delayed appendectomy had a longer prodrome of symptoms (6.9 vs 4.6 days, P = .002), slightly higher presenting white blood cell count (19.3 vs 16.6, P = .08), and had the same hospital length of stay, yet had a lower complication rate requiring readmission to the hospital (0% vs 10%) compared to those undergoing immediate appendectomy.

In children presenting with prolonged symptoms and a discrete appendiceal abscess or phlegmon, drainage and delayed appendectomy should be the treatment of choice.