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Outcomes of perforated appendicitis in obese and nonobese children

Carissa L Garey1, Carey A Laituri, Danny C Little

  • 1The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA.

Journal of Pediatric Surgery
|December 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Obese children with perforated appendicitis had longer hospital stays and operative times. These children also experienced a higher rate of abscess formation following surgery.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Obesity Research
  • Appendicitis Treatment

Background:

  • Limited data exist on the impact of childhood obesity on surgical outcomes.
  • Obesity's effects on pediatric surgical outcomes, particularly for perforated appendicitis, are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the impact of obesity on surgical outcomes in children with perforated appendicitis.

Main Methods:

  • Data from 3 prospective trials (2005-2009) on perforated appendicitis were analyzed.
  • Obesity was defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) percentile greater than 95th for age and sex.
  • Outcomes were compared between obese and nonobese pediatric patients.

Main Results:

  • Obese children (37/220) had a significantly longer mean length of hospital stay (7.9 vs. 5.8 days).
  • Mean operative time was longer for obese children (55.2 vs. 43.6 minutes).
  • The abscess rate was significantly higher in obese children (35% vs. 15%).

Conclusions:

  • Childhood obesity is associated with poorer surgical outcomes in cases of perforated appendicitis.
  • Obese children experience longer operative times and increased complications, such as abscess formation.
Abstract

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