LAUSR.org creates dashboard-style pages of related content for over 1.5 million academic articles. Sign Up to like articles & get recommendations!

Effect of hospital type on the treatment of acute appendicitis in teenagers.

Photo from wikipedia

BACKGROUND Teenagers receive appendicitis care at both adult and pediatric facilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes following treatment of acute appendicitis in teenagers based on the… Click to show full abstract

BACKGROUND Teenagers receive appendicitis care at both adult and pediatric facilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes following treatment of acute appendicitis in teenagers based on the type of hospital facility. METHODS Patients aged 13-17years with acute appendicitis who were discharged from acute care hospitals from 2009 to 2014 were identified using a statewide discharge dataset. Hospitals were classified as pediatric or adult and outcomes were compared. RESULTS There were 5585 patients treated in adult hospitals and 1625 in pediatric hospitals. Fewer patients at adult hospitals had complicated appendicitis (20.4% vs. 33.0%, p<0.01). Open appendectomy occurred more often in adult hospitals compared to pediatric hospitals (12.6% vs. 6.0%, p<0.01). Pediatric hospitals had higher rates of non-operative management (10% vs. 3.4%, p<0.01) and percutaneous drain placement (1.2% vs. 0.4%, p<0.01). Postoperative complication rates did not significantly differ between hospital types. CONCLUSION Most teenagers undergo appendectomy at adult facilities; however, a greater proportion of younger patients and patients with complicated appendicitis is treated at pediatric hospitals. Treatment at a freestanding children's hospital results in lower rates of open procedures and no difference in complications. Opportunities may exist to standardize care across treating facilities to optimize outcomes and resource use. TYPE OF STUDY Prognosis study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE II.

Keywords: acute appendicitis; appendicitis teenagers; treatment acute; appendicitis; pediatric hospitals

Journal Title: Journal of pediatric surgery
Year Published: 2018

Link to full text (if available)


Share on Social Media:                               Sign Up to like & get
recommendations!

Related content

More Information              News              Social Media              Video              Recommended



                Click one of the above tabs to view related content.