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 .
A randomized comparative study of sulbactam plus ampicillin vs. metronidazole plus cefotaxime in the management of acute appendicitis in children.
Sulbactam is a beta-lactamase inhibitor that , when combined with ampicillin , gives the latter antibiotic a broad spectrum of activity , making it suitable for use as a prophylactic agent in acute appendicitis . In a single-blind , r and omized trial , the efficacy of sulbactam plus ampicillin was compared with that of metronidazole plus cefotaxime .  Thirty-five children undergoing appendectomy received intravenous sulbactam and ampicillin , while 38 children received metronidazole and cefotaxime . Single doses were given unless the appendix was considered gangrenous or perforated , in which case the drugs were administered for 72 hr . There were three wound infections in the group given sulbactam and ampicillin and five in the group given metronidazole and cefotaxime . The combination of sulbactam and ampicillin was well tolerated and appeared to be at least as effective as that of metronidazole and cefotaxime in the prevention of sepsis following appendectomy
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 .