Operation with appendectomy for appendiceal mass carries a high risk of complications compared with conservative treatment or drainage .
Drainage may lower the risk of treatment failure but entails a risk of complications .
INTRODUCTION The treatment strategy for appendiceal mass is controversial , ranging from operation or image-guided drainage to conservative treatment with or without antibiotics .
The aim of this study was to assess the various treatment modalities with respect to complications and treatment failure .
Conservative approach versus urgent appendectomy in surgical management of acute appendicitis with abscess or phlegmon.
BACKGROUND Surgical management of acute appendicitis with appendiceal abscess or phlegmon remains controversial . We studied the results of initial conservative treatment ( antibiotics and percutaneous drainage if necessary , with or without interval appendectomy ) compared with immediate surgery . METHODS We undertook an observational , retrospective cohort study of patients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of acute appendicitis with an abscess or phlegmon , treated in our hospital between January 1997 and March 2009 . Patients younger than 14 , with severe sepsis or with diffuse peritonitis were excluded . A study group of 15 patients with acute appendicitis complicated with an abscess or phlegmon underwent conservative treatment . A control group was composed of the other patients , who all underwent  urgent appendectomy  , matched for age and later r and omized 1:1 . The infectious risk stratification was established with the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System ( NNIS ) index . Dependent variables were hospital stay and surgical site infection . Analysis was with SPSS , with p < 0.05 considered significant . RESULTS Interval appendectomy  was performed in 7 study group patients . Surgical site infection episodes were more frequent in the control group ( 6 vs. 0 , p < 0.001 ) . A greater percentage of high risk patients ( NNIS ≥ 2 ) was identified in the control group ( 80 vs. 28.7 % , p < 0.03 ) , mostly related with contaminated or dirty procedures in this group ( p < 0.001 ) . No significant difference between groups was found in hospital stay . CONCLUSION Initial conservative treatment should be considered the best therapeutic choice for acute appendicitis with abscess or phlegmon
Operation with appendectomy for appendiceal mass carries a high risk of complications compared with conservative treatment or drainage .
Drainage may lower the risk of treatment failure but entails a risk of complications .
INTRODUCTION The treatment strategy for appendiceal mass is controversial , ranging from operation or image-guided drainage to conservative treatment with or without antibiotics .
The aim of this study was to assess the various treatment modalities with respect to complications and treatment failure .