There was no consistency among the protocol s regarding length of antibiotic use , discharge criteria , or use of home antibiotics following discharge .
Limiting duration of antibiotic use to3 days did not appear to be associated with higher rates of intraabdominal abscess or wound infection .
In the absence of higher-level evidence , shortening of antibiotic regimens following surgery for pediatric complicated appendicitis appears to be safe
The suitable duration of antibiotic use following appendectomy for advanced appendicitis in children is still debated .
Antibiotic management of complicated appendicitis.
A prospect i ve , r and omized , double-blind clinical trial was undertaken comparing gentamicin , ampicillin , and clindamycin ( GAC ) to gentamicin , ampicillin , and placebo ( GAP ) in children with complicated appendicitis . Of the 64 patients enrolled in this study , 33 were assigned to the GAC group and 31 received GAP . A single GAC patient ( 3 % ) was considered a therapeutic failure in comparison to seven children ( 23 % ) in the GAP group ( P less than 0.05 ) . Duration of fever was significantly prolonged in the GAP patients ( 4.7 + /- .8 days versus 2.9 + /- .5 days ) when compared to the clindamycin treated children ( P less than 0.05 ) . Duration of leukocytosis was 3.2 + /- .4 days for GAC patients and 4.9 + /- .9 days for those on the GAP protocol ( P = 0.08 ) . On the basis of this experience the routine use of gentamicin , ampicillin , and clindamycin is recommended for all children with complicated appendicitis
There was no consistency among the protocol s regarding length of antibiotic use , discharge criteria , or use of home antibiotics following discharge .
Limiting duration of antibiotic use to3 days did not appear to be associated with higher rates of intraabdominal abscess or wound infection .
In the absence of higher-level evidence , shortening of antibiotic regimens following surgery for pediatric complicated appendicitis appears to be safe
The suitable duration of antibiotic use following appendectomy for advanced appendicitis in children is still debated .