Appendectomy News and Research

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An appendicectomy (or appendectomy) is the surgical removal of the vermiform appendix. This procedure is normally performed as an emergency procedure, when the patient is suffering from acute appendicitis. In the absence of surgical facilities, intravenous antibiotics are used to delay or avoid the onset of sepsis; it is now recognized that many cases will resolve when treated non-operatively. In some cases the appendicitis resolves completely; more often, an inflammatory mass forms around the appendix. This is a relative contraindication to surgery.

Antibiotics present a safe option for treating children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis

Using antibiotics alone to treat children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis is a reasonable alternative to surgery that leads to less pain and fewer missed school days, according to a pilot study.

15 Apr 2014

Study: Patients more likely to die in hospitals when cared for by nurses with heavy workloads

Patients are more likely to die after common surgical procedures when they are cared for in hospitals with heavier nurse workloads and fewer nurses with bachelor's degrees, concludes the largest investigation of nursing and hospital outcomes in Europe to date, published in The Lancet.

26 Feb 2014

EvergreenHealth named one of America's 100 Best Hospitals in three specialty areas

EvergreenHealth today announced it has earned several distinctions for 2014 across many of the health care system's specialties from Healthgrades, the nation's leading independent provider of information to help consumers make informed decisions about a physician or hospital.

23 Oct 2013

Researchers develop new guidelines to govern amount of blood ordered for surgical patients

Johns Hopkins researchers have developed new guidelines - the first in more than 35 years - to govern the amount of blood ordered for surgical patients.

23 May 2013

Data on experience-related outcomes in children's surgery vary: Report

A review of the available medical literature suggests that data on experience-related outcomes in children's surgery are limited and vary widely in methodologic quality, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Pediatrics, a JAMA Network publication.

26 Mar 2013

Surprises found in postoperative pain rankings

Patients report “unexpectedly high” levels of pain after some relatively minor surgical procedures, including some laparoscopic procedures, say researchers.

15 Feb 2013

Hospital type plays a role in racial disparities and appendicitis outcomes in children

When researchers from UCLA Medical Center investigated the link between racial disparities and appendicitis outcomes in children, they found that the type of hospital in which black, Hispanic and other minority patients receive care-community, children's or county-affects their odds of developing a perforated appendix. The study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons is a first-of-its-kind look at the role hospital type plays in race-based treatment variances among this patient subset.

29 Dec 2012

Use of CT scans for children suspected of having appendicitis varies among hospitals

Children suspected of having appendicitis are more likely to receive CT scans, which involve radiation, if they are evaluated at a general hospital, a new study by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown.

25 Dec 2012

Study addresses cost of patient care in acute care surgical settings

An acute care surgery model led to improvement in the quality of surgical patient care and reduced the cost of emergency surgical care at Loma Linda University Medical Center, report researchers who published their findings in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

7 Nov 2012

No benefit from irrigation during appendectomy

Irrigating the peritoneal cavity during appendectomy for perforated appendicitis offers no advantage over suction alone, with similar rates of postoperative abscess in children treated using both approaches, according to the findings of a US study.

11 Oct 2012

Alzheimer's pathology might be increased in patients after surgery and anesthesia

A syndrome called "post-operative cognitive decline" has been coined to refer to the commonly reported loss of cognitive abilities, usually in older adults, in the days to weeks after surgery. In fact, some patients time the onset of their Alzheimer's disease symptoms from a surgical procedure.

15 Sep 2012

NHS hospitals have scope to make efficiency savings by adopting best practice

NHS hospitals have substantial scope to improve their efficiency by adopting best practice, according to research published today by Professor Andrew Street and colleagues at the Centre for Health Economics (CHE) at the University of York.

14 Jul 2012

Laparoscopic appendectomy preferable for obese patients

Obese patients with appendicitis have fewer postoperative complications, a shorter stay in hospital, and shorter operative times when treated with laparoscopic appendectomy rather than open appendectomy, study findings show.

10 Jul 2012

Obese patients with appendix less likely to have complications after minimally invasive procedure

Obese patients who need to have their appendixes removed fare better after a minimally invasive surgical procedure rather than an open operation, according to a new study published in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

27 Jun 2012

Scoring system identifies appendicitis in pediatric acute abdomen pain

Using a pediatric appendicitis score may help to identify true cases of appendicitis among children who present to emergency departments with acute abdominal pain, researchers report.

26 Jun 2012

Removing ruptured appendix sooner lowers hospital costs, charges

Removing a child's ruptured appendix sooner rather than later significantly lowers hospital costs and charges, according to a recently published study.

30 Apr 2012

Research roundup: Practice guidelines may not stop defensive medicine; English language ability tied to hospital readmission rates

The Value of Clinical Practice Guidelines As Malpractice "Safe Harbors" -- Overspending on health care has frequently been attributed to doctors practicing defensive medicine -- ordering extra tests, for example -- so that they avoid malpractice lawsuits. The authors of this brief write that while some have said clinical guidelines "should give caregivers a liability 'safe harbor,' shielding them from any malpractice claim for failing to provide services not included in the guideline."

27 Apr 2012

Health care not structured in the interest of the patient

You're enjoying a quiet weekend at home when suddenly you double over in pain. You need emergency appendectomy surgery. How much should it cost? And how much price shopping are you able to do?

26 Apr 2012

Early appendectomy can reduce length of stay, medical interventions and hospital charges

Pediatric surgeons can lower health care costs if they remove a young patient's perforated appendix sooner rather than later, according to new study results published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

3 Apr 2012

Single-port laparoscopic appendectomy performed at Valley Presbyterian Hospital

Surgeons at Valley Presbyterian Hospital (VPH) recently performed the hospital's first-ever single-port laparoscopic appendectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure for removing an infected appendix, which reduces scarring and healing time because it requires only one incision, Gustavo Valdespino, VPH president and CEO, announced today.

29 Mar 2012