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Management of the appendiceal mass
Archives of Surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960)
|October 1, 1978
Summary
Both operative and nonoperative therapies offer good outcomes for appendiceal abscess. Nonoperative management requires careful follow-up to rule out other conditions mimicking appendiceal abscess.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Oncology
Background:
- Appendiceal abscess is a common surgical emergency.
- Treatment options include immediate surgery or initial nonoperative management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the outcomes of operative versus nonoperative therapy for appendiceal abscess.
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of both treatment approaches.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 43 patients with clinically diagnosed appendiceal abscess.
- Comparison of outcomes between patients treated operatively and nonoperatively.
Main Results:
- Operative group (13 patients): 11 underwent appendectomy or drainage, 2 had hemicolectomy. Median hospitalization was 7.2 days with no serious complications.
- Nonoperative group (30 patients): 26 discharged after median 11 days. 4 required surgery for treatment failure. 1 died of pulmonary embolism. 4 presented with recurrent appendicitis.
- 4 patients initially treated nonoperatively were later found to have other disease processes.
Conclusions:
- Both operative and nonoperative management can yield good results for appendiceal abscess.
- Nonoperative management necessitates thorough examination to exclude other pathologies mimicking appendiceal abscess.