What is the treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis without abscess or perforation?
This protocol addresses adult and pediatric patients presenting with acute appendicitis
where preoperative assessment shows no evidence of abscess or perforation — the
uncomplicated form of the disease.
Clinical scenario
Uncomplicated appendicitis is defined as cases without preoperative evidence of abscess
or perforation. This distinction drives the management pathway and the evidence base
behind it.
Management approach partial preview
Operative management is the recommended approach. Evidence-based guidance addresses
the question of surgical timing — whether the operation should be performed
immediately or after a delay — though the full criteria and conditional recommendations
are detailed in the complete protocol.
References
DOI: 10.1007/s00464-024-10813-y
- Uncomplicated appendicitis was defined as cases without preoperative evidence of abscess or perforation.
- The panel suggests that adult and pediatric patients with uncomplicated appendicitis be managed operatively (conditional recommendation based on low certainty of evidence in adults and very low certainty of evidence in pediatrics).
- The panel suggests that adult and pediatric patients with uncomplicated appendicitis may undergo either delayed (>12h) or immediate operation (<12h) (conditional recommendation, based on very low certainty of evidence).
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