Objectives: Long-term follow-up of children admitted to the Department of Pediatric Surgery (DPS) at the Galilee Medical Center (GMC) with abdominal pain and radiological findings suggestive of acute appendicitis, who did not undergo appendectomy.
Background: Acute appendicitis is the most common non-traumatic surgical emergency in children. Abdominal ultrasound (US) and abdominal Computer Tomography scans are beneficial, but argument continues on their importance in diagnosis. The significance of false positive abdominal US for acute appendicitis has not yet been examined thoroughly.
Methods: Medical records of children admitted to the DPS with US findings suggestive of acute appendicitis, between 01/2008 and 12/2014 were retrieved. Abdominal US results were re-evaluated by the Head of Radiology Department at the GMC. Additional information was achieved through telephone interviews.
Results: In the research group a 15% rate for future appendectomy was found. This is significantly higher than a life-time acute appendicitis in the general population. Also, statistically significant association between an appendix diameter of 7-8mm and future appendectomy was found (p<0.05). No significant difference was found in abdominal US interpretation throughout different years of radiology residency.
Conclusions: A significantly higher percentage of the research group children, in comparison to the pediatric population, underwent appendectomy. In that group, the most important US parameter predicting future appendectomy was appendix diameter of 7-8mm. Most children remained healthy throughout the follow-up period. Our study shows that it is possible to relay on the appendix diameter parameter at abdominal US in those children, even when the examination is done by a young radiology resident.
