Appendicitis management: Is it time for a change?

Abstract

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common general surgical emergencies, with an estimated lifetime risk of 7% to 9% in the United States.1 More than 95% of US patients with appendicitis are managed by appendectomy,2 representing a significant healthcare burden. Although antibiotic therapy has been successfully used as an alternative therapy for more than 60 years, it has not superseded surgical intervention as the primary treatment.3