Researchers at Mayo Clinic Children's Center have found that using an algorithm in diagnosing pediatric patients with suspected appendicitis can reduce the number of computed tomography (CT) scans without affecting accuracy of the diagnosis, a new study published in the journal Surgery reveals.
Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdominal pain in children. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus. CT scans are often used to diagnose acute appendicitis because they are accurate, widely available and have the ability to provide clinicians with advanced information in appendicitis cases suspected of complications.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix with intense, migrating abdominal pain caused by obstruction due to tumors, feces, or infection.
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However, CT scans are expensive and expose patients to ionizing radiation. "This algorithm was developed by a multidisciplinary group of pediatric emergency room physicians, pediatric surgeons and radiologists to eliminate unnecessary exposure to radiation," explains Michael B. Ishitani, M.D., lead author of the study.
The study compared pediatric patients, under the age of 18, who underwent an appendectomy for acute appendicitis pre-algorithm implementation and post-implementation. Researchers studied 331 pediatric cases over the course of five years, and found that CT utilization decreased from 39 percent to 18 percent after the algorithm was in place.
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In comparison to patients who undergo surgical removal of the appendix on a weekend, those who undergo the same operation on weekdays, experience more postoperative complications.
Researchers found that when the algorithm was implemented, use of CT scans in patients dropped by over 50 percent, without affecting diagnostic accuracy, proving that reducing the use of CT scans when evaluating patients for appendicitis is safe and cost-effective.
"Implementation of this algorithm across multiple centers is the ideal outcome of this study, followed by further evaluations over time to ensure that the low rate of CT scan use continues," says Dr. Ishitani.
Source: Eurekalert
Study: 'Weekend Effect' Following Appendix Removal Operations Is Not Seen Nowadays
In comparison to patients who undergo surgical removal of the appendix on a weekend, those who undergo the same operation on weekdays, experience more postoperative complications.
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Researchers found that when the algorithm was implemented, use of CT scans in patients dropped by over 50 percent, without affecting diagnostic accuracy, proving that reducing the use of CT scans when evaluating patients for appendicitis is safe and cost-effective.
"Implementation of this algorithm across multiple centers is the ideal outcome of this study, followed by further evaluations over time to ensure that the low rate of CT scan use continues," says Dr. Ishitani.
Source: Eurekalert
Shortage of General Surgeons may Cause Higher Rates of Perforated Appendix in Rural Areas
A new study out of Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH says that people who live in rural areas may run a greater risk of having perforated appendix than those in suburban and urban areas.
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 Fewer Pediatricians Could Mean Appendix Ruptures In ChildrenLack of access to pediatricians could mean life-threatening appendix ruptures in children, it has been found. | Advertisement
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