Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Risk of appendiceal malignancy in conservatively treated acute appendicitis

Ramadan, Shaima LU orcid ; Buchwald, Pamela LU and Olsson, Åsa LU (2023) In Scandinavian Journal of Surgery 112(4). p.227-234
Abstract
Background and aims: Appendectomy has historically been the standard treatment of acute appendicitis, but lately, conservative treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis with antibiotics has successfully been used in selected patients. Complicated acute appendicitis is often treated conservatively initially, but may benefit from interval appendectomy due to the higher risk of
appendiceal malignancy and recurrence. Recommendations for follow-up after conservatively treated appendicitis vary. Furthermore, the risk of underlying malignancy and the necessity of routine interval appendectomy are unclear. This study aims to evaluate follow-up status, recurrence, and underlying appendiceal malignancy in conservatively treated uncomplicated... (More)
Background and aims: Appendectomy has historically been the standard treatment of acute appendicitis, but lately, conservative treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis with antibiotics has successfully been used in selected patients. Complicated acute appendicitis is often treated conservatively initially, but may benefit from interval appendectomy due to the higher risk of
appendiceal malignancy and recurrence. Recommendations for follow-up after conservatively treated appendicitis vary. Furthermore, the risk of underlying malignancy and the necessity of routine interval appendectomy are unclear. This study aims to evaluate follow-up status, recurrence, and underlying appendiceal malignancy in conservatively treated uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis.
Methods: This study included patients with conservatively treated acute appendicitis at Skåne University Hospital, Sweden during 2012–2019. Information on patient demographics at index admission and data on follow-up, recurrence, number of appendectomies after initial conservative treatment, and underlying malignancy were retrieved from medical charts.
Results: The study cohort included 391 patients, 152 with uncomplicated and 239 with complicated acute appendicitis. Median time of study follow-up was 52 months. The recurrence risk was 23 (15.1%) after uncomplicated and 58 (24.3%) after complicated acute appendicitis (p = 0.030). During follow-up, 55 (23%) patients with complicated acute appendicitis underwent appendectomy. Appendiceal malignancies were found in 12 (5%) patients with previous complicated acute appendicitis versus no appendiceal malignancies after uncomplicated acute appendicitis (p = 0.002).
Conclusion: The risk of appendiceal malignancy and recurrent appendicitis was significantly higher in patients with complicated acute appendicitis compared with uncomplicated acute appendicitis. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scandinavian Journal of Surgery
volume
112
issue
4
pages
227 - 234
publisher
Finnish Surgical Society
external identifiers
  • pmid:37705259
  • scopus:85175971974
ISSN
1799-7267
DOI
10.1177/14574969231190293
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4d5bc9ec-b2db-427d-835b-7b4211d1fa7f
date added to LUP
2023-09-16 17:39:28
date last changed
2024-01-09 15:46:20
@article{4d5bc9ec-b2db-427d-835b-7b4211d1fa7f,
  abstract     = {{Background and aims: Appendectomy has historically been the standard treatment of acute appendicitis, but lately, conservative treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis with antibiotics has successfully been used in selected patients. Complicated acute appendicitis is often treated conservatively initially, but may benefit from interval appendectomy due to the higher risk of<br/>appendiceal malignancy and recurrence. Recommendations for follow-up after conservatively treated appendicitis vary. Furthermore, the risk of underlying malignancy and the necessity of routine interval appendectomy are unclear. This study aims to evaluate follow-up status, recurrence, and underlying appendiceal malignancy in conservatively treated uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis.<br/>Methods: This study included patients with conservatively treated acute appendicitis at Skåne University Hospital, Sweden during 2012–2019. Information on patient demographics at index admission and data on follow-up, recurrence, number of appendectomies after initial conservative treatment, and underlying malignancy were retrieved from medical charts.<br/>Results: The study cohort included 391 patients, 152 with uncomplicated and 239 with complicated acute appendicitis. Median time of study follow-up was 52 months. The recurrence risk was 23 (15.1%) after uncomplicated and 58 (24.3%) after complicated acute appendicitis (p = 0.030). During follow-up, 55 (23%) patients with complicated acute appendicitis underwent appendectomy. Appendiceal malignancies were found in 12 (5%) patients with previous complicated acute appendicitis versus no appendiceal malignancies after uncomplicated acute appendicitis (p = 0.002).<br/>Conclusion: The risk of appendiceal malignancy and recurrent appendicitis was significantly higher in patients with complicated acute appendicitis compared with uncomplicated acute appendicitis.}},
  author       = {{Ramadan, Shaima and Buchwald, Pamela and Olsson, Åsa}},
  issn         = {{1799-7267}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{227--234}},
  publisher    = {{Finnish Surgical Society}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Surgery}},
  title        = {{Risk of appendiceal malignancy in conservatively treated acute appendicitis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14574969231190293}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/14574969231190293}},
  volume       = {{112}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}