1553 Non-Operative Management of Acute Appendicitis at A Major Trauma Centre – A Retrospective Case Series

Aim The recent CODA trial concluded that appendicitis patients with confirmed faecolith are at higher risk of appendicectomy and complications than those without faecolith. A retrospective case series of patients undergoing non-operative management of appendicitis at a major trauma centre was conducted to determine the success of non-operative management, defined as lack of operative management within 30 and 90 days of diagnosis, and the impact of presence of faecolith on outcomes. Method All patients who received a working diagnosis of appendicitis over a 16-week period between March and June 2020 were identified and their electronic records interrogated for: preliminary and final diagnoses; imaging modality and result; operative or non-operative initial treatment strategy; final treatment strategy; and histopathology results where applicable. Patients who received an initial operative treatment strategy were excluded. Patients for whom appendicitis was not confirmed on either imaging or histopathology were excluded. Results 24 patients received an initial non-operative treatment strategy and were eligible for inclusion. 15 patients (62.5%) underwent successful non-operative management. The remaining 9 patients (37.5%) required operative management within 30 days. Presence of faecolith was confirmed in 9 patients (37.5%). 3 patients (33%) with presence of faecolith required operative management, while 3 patients (25%) without presence of faecolith required operative management. 1 patient with confirmed faecolith developed a large intra-abdominal abscess while undergoing a non-operative treatment strategy and subsequently required right hemicolectomy. Conclusions The majority of our eligible appendicitis patients were successfully managed non-operatively. Presence of faecolith in acute appendicitis is associated with increased risk of requiring operative management.