TP10.2.13Outcome of Acute appendicitis management during COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary hospital

Aim Coronavirus (COVID) has influenced the management of acute appendicitis. The Royal Colleges of Surgeons recommend best practice depending on local circumstances. The aim of this project is to assess the 30-day outcome of patients managed operatively and conservatively for acute appendicitis during the first wave of the pandemic in the UK. Method Patient data were collected prospectively at the end of March 2020, when Covid-19 became prevalent in the UK and lockdown started. Data was collected for patients admitted to the acute surgical unit for the admission dates of 20/03/2020 to 15/05/2020. At 30 days after admission, a search was done on the electronic clinical portal to check if the patient was readmitted for operation. The inclusion criteria are any patients above 16-year-old admitted through acute surgical unit with a clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis or computed tomography scan findings of proven acute appendicitis. Result A total of 34 patients (median age, 33; range, 17-74) were identified from March 2020 to May 2020. All patients have covid-19 status as negative and were given intravenous antibiotics at point of admission. All patients received a course of seven-day of antibiotic. 17 patients underwent operation and 17 patients were managed conservatively. Only one patient who was treated conservatively for acute appendicitis, was re-admitted within 30 days of admission date. Discussion The readmission rate of patients treated conservatively for acute appendicitis after 30 days were low during the first wave of the pandemic.