Frequency of Perforated Appendicitis in Times of COVID-19

NCT04472052 — Completed, 143 participants, University Hospital Tuebingen

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Incidence of Perforated Appendicitis in Times of Corona Crisis

Registry	NCT04472052
Status	Completed
Study type	Observational
Enrollment	143 (Actual)
Sponsor	University Hospital Tuebingen (Other)
Conditions	Perforated Appendicitis, Covid19
Interventions	appendectomy (Other)
Dates	start 2020-03-16, primary completion 2020-05-31, completion 2020-05-31, first posted 2020-07-15, last updated 2020-07-15
Locations	1 site in Germany

-Summary

Appendicitis is one of the most common clinical conditions in general surgery. The diagnosis is usually made from clinical examination, imaging (sonography or CT) and laboratory parameters. The laparoscopic appendectomy without drainage has established as the gold standard. Patients usually leave the hospital two days after surgery.

In times of corona crisis, patients are unsure to visit the hospital because of fear of infection with SARS-CoV-2. A higher incidence of perforated appendicitis could be an indicator for fear-related delay of going to the hospital.

Methods: Investigators performed a retrospective analysis on the incidence of perforated appendicitis in a 10-week interval (mid-March to end of May) of the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 to evaluate possible changes in times of corona crisis. Intraoperative findings, procedures, complications and the length of hospital stay were considered.

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+Detailed description

The local ethics committee of the University Hospital of Tübingen, Germany, approved this study (AZ: 324/2020BO2). All patients treated for acute appendicitis in a ten week period from 16th of March to 31th of May in 2018, 2019 and 2020 were considered for the study. Investigators analysed the frequency of perforated appendicitis in the periods indicated. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants. Patient's records as well as database were analyzed for therapy specific items.

Definition Perforation: Perforated appendicitis was defined as described perforation in the surgical or pathological results.

Delay between onset of symptoms and first presentation at the hospital: Patient's records were proved for self-declaration about the start of symptoms

+Arms and interventions

Arm	Type	Interventions	Description
Appendectomy		Other: appendectomy	Patients who required appendectomy for suspected acute appendicitis

appendectomy (Other): Surgical standard treatment for acute appendicitis All patients receive preoperative single-shot antibiosis, usually 2000 mg cefotaxime combined 500 mg metronidazole. Appendectomy is performed usually within 24 h of admission in patients with acute appendicitis. The laparoscopic appendectomy using the 3-trocar technique represents the surgical standard. In uncomplicated or non-perforated appendicitis, drainage is generally not required. Wounds are closed intra-cutaneous with absorbable sutures. Patients without postoperative complications are discharged home two days after surgery.

+Outcome measures

Primary outcomes

rate of perforated appendicitis [10 weeks from 16th of March to 31th of May]

+Eligibility

Sex: All, ages: 16 Years to any

Inclusion Criteria:

* patients with acute appendicitis older than 16 years
* appendectomy in time frame 16th of march to 30th of May in the Years 2018, 2019 and 2020

Exclusion Criteria:

* patients with acute appendicitis younger than 16 years
* appendectomy not in the named time frames

+Locations (1)

Facility	City	Country	Status
University Hospital of Tuebingen	Tübingen	Germany