INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the ultrasonographic features of paediatric acute appendicitis and incorporate them into a scoring algorithm that will quantify the risk of complications and the strength of recommendation for surgical intervention. METHODS: 179 patients with suspected appendicitis who had undergone ultrasonographic examination were included in this study. Based on their medical evaluation and post-surgical histopathological results, patients were categorised into confirmed appendicitis (n = 101) and non-appendicitis (n = 78) groups. RESULTS: In the appendicitis group, the appendix was visualised in 66 (65.3%) patients. In cases where the appendix was not visualised, we looked out for secondary inflammatory signs, which were present in 32 (31.7%) patients. Using stepwise logistic regression, Blumberg's sign, free fluid or collection, hyperaemia, non-compressible appendix and an appendix diameter > 7 mm were found to be significant predictive factors for appendicitis. A new scoring system called POPs was developed, combining inflammatory predictors and ultrasonography findings, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.958 (95% confidence interval 0.929-0.986). CONCLUSION The newly developed POPs-based diagnosis scheme proved a promising alternative to existing scoring systems such as the Alvarado score. Although further calibration would be beneficial, the proposed scoring scheme is simple and easy to understand, memorise and apply in the emergency room.
Acute Disease ; Appendectomy ; Appendicitis/surgery* ; Appendix/surgery* ; Child ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography/methods*

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of Zhu's trocar placement (ZTP) in laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) in the treatment of complicated appendicitis.

METHODSClinical data of 139 complicated appendicitis patients undergoing LA at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from June 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. ZTP-LA group comprised 59 cases and its procedure was as follows: 10 mm umbilical trocar was used as lens port; 12 mm trocar at crossing point of umbilical hole horizontal line and right midclavicular line was used as main operating port; 5 mm trocar at the crossing point of horizontal line 0-3 cm below umbilicus and right anterior axillary line was used as assist operating port with the drainage function for Douglas fossa and right iliac fossa; The operator and the assistant stood on the right side and the left side of the patient respectively. Traditional three-port group comprised 80 cases (8 cases converted to laparotomy, 72 cases enrolled finally) and its procedure was as follows: 10 mm lens port below umbilicus; 10-12 mm main operating port at lateral border of left lower rectus abdominis; 5 mm assist operating port above pubis; The operator and the assistant stood on left side of the patient. The operative time, time to oral semi-fluid, postoperative hospital stay, cost during hospitalization, and postoperative morbidity of complication were compared between two groups.

RESULTSBaseline data such as gender, age, WBC count, percentage of leukocyte, pathological finding and type were not significantly different between two groups(all P>0.05). The conversion rate in ZTP-LA was significantly lower than that in traditional three-port group [0%(0/59) vs. 10.0%(8/80),χ²=4.552,P=0.033]. Compared with traditional three-port group, ZTP-LA group showed shorter operative time [(47.8±20.1) minutes vs. (66.0±27.3) minutes, t=4.383,P<0.001], shorter time to oral semi-fluid [(35.0±20.7) hours vs. (59.3±32.8) hours, t=5.158,P<0.001], shorter postoperative hospital stay [(4.1±1.6) days vs. (5.5±2.2) days, t=4.162, P<0.001], lower postoperative morbidity of complication [3.4% (2/59) vs. 18.1%(13/72), χ²=6.879, P=0.009], lower incidence of postoperative intra-abdominal abscess [0%(0/59) vs. 11.1%(8/72), χ²=5.179, P=0.023], lower incidence of paralytic ileus [1.7%(1/59) vs. 12.5%(9/72), χ²=3.946, P=0.047] and less cost during hospitalization[(13 585±2909) yuan vs.(16 861±5334) yuan, t=4.463, P<0.001].

CONCLUSIONZTP-LA is safe, feasible and effective with advantages of faster recovery and less cost in the treatment of complicated appendicitis.

Appendectomy ; methods ; Appendicitis ; surgery ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Length of Stay ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Instruments ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is a popular procedure for acute appendicitis. Its minimally invasive nature has made LA a commonly performed surgical technique for surgical residents. However, single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) poses a challenge to inexperienced surgical residents. We described our initial experience in teaching SILS for appendectomy in our medical center. METHODS: Twenty nine cases of SILA were performed by single surgical resident and 110 cases of LA were performed by four surgical residents and five board-certified surgeons. Data were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean SILA and multi-port laparoscopic appendectomy (MLA) operative time was 44.5±14 min (range 25~85 min) and 74.8±26 min (range 20~125 min), respectively. The shorter time for SILA was significant (p<0.05). Postoperative hospital stay was 3.3±1.6 days (range 2~6 days) following SILA and 4.0±2.9 days (range 2~12 days) following MLA (p<0.05). Three cases of wound infection developed following SILA. Complications in the MLA patients included one cases each of operative bladder injury and postoperative ileus. CONCLUSION: SILA is a considerable training method for laparoscopic surgery for a surgical resident learning SILS.
Appendectomy* ; Appendicitis ; Humans ; Ileus ; Laparoscopy ; Learning ; Length of Stay ; Methods ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgeons ; Urinary Bladder ; Wound Infection

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to present an abdominal wall closure technique using barbed suture V-Loc™ 90 after single incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA) and to compare perioperative outcomes with conventional layer by layer abdominal wall closure after SILA. METHODS: From March 2014 to July 2016, a retrospective case-control study was conducted for a total of 269 consecutive patients who underwent SILA. According to abdominal wall closure methods, 129 patients were classified into the V-Loc closure group and 140 patients were assigned into the conventional layer by layer closure group. In the V-Loc group, abdominal wall closure was performed from the fascia to the skin with a single thread of unidirectional absorbable barbed suture V-Loc™ 90 2-0 using continuous running suture and reverse overlapping reinforced running technique. Subcutaneous closure and subcuticular suture were performed with the remaining portion of V-Loc. RESULTS: The V-Loc closure group showed shorter total operation time (40.0±15.4 min vs. 44.9±16.3 min, p=0.013) and abdominal wall closure time (5.5±0.9 min vs. 6.5±0.8 min, p < 0.001). Postoperative incision length was significantly shorter in the V-Loc closure group (1.1±0.3 cm vs. 1.8±0.4 cm, p < 0.001). Postoperative wound pain, time to resume diet, postoperative hospital stay, complications including surgical site infection, or mean patient satisfaction score at one month after hospital discharge was not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, unidirectional knotless barbed suture is a safe alternative method for abdominal wall closure after SILA. It can save time while providing comparable cosmesis.
Abdominal Wall* ; Appendectomy* ; Case-Control Studies ; Diet ; Fascia ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Methods* ; Patient Satisfaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Running* ; Skin ; Surgical Wound Infection ; Suture Techniques ; Sutures* ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: Transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (TULA) is a single incision technique that uses a combined intra- and extracorporeal method. The aim of this study was to compare surgical outcomes of TULA with conventional 3-port laparoscopic appendectomy (LA). METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records between 2010 and 2014 identified 303 pediatric patients who underwent LA with uncomplicated acute appendicitis. Of these, 85 patients underwent TULA and 218 patients underwent conventional LA. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, perioperative outcomes and postoperative complications were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The mean operation time in the TULA group was 30.39 minutes, which was significantly shorter than that of the LA group (47.83 minutes) (P < 0.001). The first day of oral intake after surgery was earlier (1.05 days vs. 1.32 days; P < 0.001) and the length of hospital stay was also shorter (2.54 days vs. 3.22 days; P < 0.001) for the TULA group than the LA group. Furthermore, the postoperative complication rate was lower in the TULA group (1 of 85, 1.25%) compared to the LA group (19 of 218, 8.7%) (P = 0.018). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, TULA procedure is recommended for uncomplicated appendicitis in children due to its simplicity and better postoperative outcomes.
Appendectomy* ; Appendicitis* ; Child ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Umbilicus

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of short hospital stays after laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 142 patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis from January 2010 to December 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were allocated to an early (<48 hours) or a late (>48 hours) group by postoperative hospital stay. Postoperative complications and readmission rates in the two groups were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: Overall mean patient age was 50.1 (+/-16.0) years, and mean hospital stay was 3.8 (+/-2.8) days. Fifty-four patients (group E, 38.0%) were discharged within 48 hours of surgery, and 88 patients (group L, 62.0%) stayed more than 48 hours. Overall complication rates were similar in the two groups (14.8% vs. 21.6%, p=0.318), and wound complications (13.0% vs. 12.5%), postoperative bowel obstruction (1.9% vs. 2.3%), and abdominal pain (1.9% vs. 3.4%) were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Patients that undergo laparoscopic appendectomy due to uncomplicated appendicitis may be safely discharged within 48 hours. Further study should be conducted to determine the optimal length of hospital stay after laparoscopic appendectomy to reduce hospital costs.
Abdominal Pain ; Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Appendectomy/*methods ; Appendicitis/*surgery ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Humans ; *Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay/*statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies

INTRODUCTIONLocal data comparing laparoscopic appendicectomy (LA) and open appendicectomy (OA) is lacking. We perform a cost and outcome comparison between LA and OA.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA retrospective review of all appendicectomies performed for suspected appendicitis from July 2010 to December 2010 was conducted. Patient demographics, duration of surgery, complication rates, total cost of stay (COS) and length of stay (LOS) were compared between LA and OA.

RESULTSA total of 198 patients underwent appendicectomy during the duration of study; 82 LA and 116 OA. There were 115 males (58.1%) and 83 females (41.9%). Median age was 33 years. Patients who underwent LA were significantly younger (P <0.001) with a greater proportion of females (P <0.0001) and were more likely to be negative appendicectomies (18.3% vs. 6.9%, P = 0.023). Duration of surgery was significantly longer in LA patients (86 min vs. 74 min, P = 0.003). LOS in the LA group was shorter by 1.3 days compared to OA (2.0 days vs. 3.3 days, P <0.0001). The differences in operative duration and LOS between LA and OA remained significant on multivariate analysis (P = 0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively). The COS (P = 0.359), wound infection rates (P = 0.528) and complication rates (P = 0.131) were not significantly different between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONLA is associated with a shorter LOS while its cost is equivalent to OA. From the perspective of utilisation of healthcare resources, LA appears to be superior.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Appendectomy ; economics ; methods ; Costs and Cost Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Appendectomy ; adverse effects ; Appendicitis ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hernia, Abdominal ; diagnosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Herniorrhaphy ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography, Abdominal ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Recently, single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has been popular for minimally invasive surgery and cosmetic improvement. However, some papers have reported that SILS for an appendectomy (SILS-A) has had the more postoperative complaints of pain. We investigated postoperative pain relief using wound infiltration with 0.5% bupivacaine in SILS-A and compared the result with that for conventional SILS-A. METHODS: Between July 2010 and September 2012, 75 patients who underwent SILS-A were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups: conventional SILS-A group (C-SILS-A) or wound infiltrated with 0.5% bupivacaine in SILS-A group (W-SILS-A). Forty-five patients were in the C-SILS-A, and 30 patients were in the W-SILS-A. Patients with perforated appendicitis were excluded. The clinical outcomes were compared between the groups by using the verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS). RESULTS: Clinical outcomes were similar in both study groups except for the pain score. The W-SILS-A group showed significantly lower numbers of additional pain killers and lower VNRS scores 1, 6, and 12 hours after surgery than the C-SILS-A group. CONCLUSION: W-SILS-A is a technically simple and effective method of reducing early postoperative pain. It may be applicable in SILS-A for pain control system.
Appendectomy* ; Appendicitis ; Bupivacaine* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy* ; Methods ; Pain, Postoperative* ; Wounds and Injuries*

INTRODUCTIONThe aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) during pregnancy by comparing the operative and obstetric outcomes of patients who during pregnancy underwent LA performed by an expert gynaecologic laparoscopist (LA group) with those patients who underwent an open appendectomy (OA) by a general surgeon (OA group).

MATERIALS AND METHODSIn this retrospective study, we evaluated all patients consecutively who had undergone appendectomy for acute appendicitis during pregnancy from January 2000 to December 2010. Twenty-eight patients underwent OA and 15 were treated by LA. We reviewed the clinical charts and analysed the data for each patient's age, parity, body mass index, gestational age at appendectomy, type of appendectomy, operating time, haemoglobin change, hospital stay, histopathological results, postoperative analgesics, complications, and obstetric outcomes.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between the OA and LA groups in terms of clinical characteristics, hospital stay, haemoglobin change, return of bowel activity, complication rates, gestational age at delivery, and birth weight. However, there were significantly shorter operating time and less usage of postoperative analgesics in LA group.

CONCLUSIONLA performed by an expert gynaecologist can be a safe and effective method for treating acute appendicitis during the first and second trimester of pregnancy.

Adult ; Appendectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; standards ; Appendicitis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult