Complicated Appendicitis

This is a prospective, triple-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of early oral lactulose for promoting postoperative gastrointestinal functional recovery in patients undergoing appendectomy for complicated appendicitis. Eligible patients aged ≥18 years with complicated appendicitis confirmed by preoperative SAS 2.0 score, intraoperative findings, or postoperative pathology will be randomly assigned 1:1 to receive oral lactulose or placebo on postoperative day 1 and day 2. The primary outcome is time to GI-2 (time from surgery to the later of first defecation or first tolerance of solid food). Secondary outcomes include time to first flatus, defecation rate within 72 hours, postoperative nausea and vomiting, length of hospital stay, medical costs, postoperative complications, and lactulose-related adverse events. A total of 150 patients will be enrolled. This study aims to provide high-level evidence for optimizing postoperative management in patients with complicated appendicitis.

To evaluate whether a postoperative therapeutic strategy, Fast Track, aimed at shortening hospital stay in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated acute appendicitis, yields outcomes that are not inferior to the standard therapeutic model in terms of the combined variable of adverse events within 30 days postoperatively (including postoperative abdominal abscess, peritonitis, surgical wound complications, reintervention, sepsis, or death).

Appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute surgical admission. Presently, two types of appendicitis are distinguished: complicated and uncomplicated (phlegmonous). Complicated appendicitis (CA) is defined as gangrenous and/or perforated appendicitis and/or appendicitis with an intra-abdominal or pelvic abscess. Laparoscopic appendectomy has become the preferential mode of surgical treatment. However, development of an intra-abdominal abscess (IAA) remains an important and clinically relevant complication following appendectomy, especially in complicated appendicitis. Although patients with complicated appendicitis receive postoperative intravenous antibiotics, the incidence of IAA remains considerable. The reported incidence of IAA in children and adults with CA is 7.9% - 24%. We recently reported an IAA rate of 12.3% after laparoscopic appendectomy for CA in our own institution. Patients with IAA are readmitted and treated with either antibiotics, image-guided percutaneous drainage, surgical reintervention, or a combination of these treatments. Furthermore, IAA represents a considerable burden for the healthcare system with high readmission rates and reinterventions, prolonged hospital stay, and therefore increased medical costs. Intra operative techniques aiming at more effective infection source control represent a clinically relevant area of investigation. Laparoscopic antibiotic lavage represents a promising concept in order to reduce intra-abdominal abscess formation. Antibiotic lavage is mainly known for the treatment of peritoneal dialysis associated peritonitis. Several studies show promising results of antibiotic peritoneal lavage on the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) including IAA in patients with CA. However, these studies were retrospective or conducted in a small number of patients who underwent an open appendectomy while high quality randomized controlled trials have not been performed yet. The aim of the ALPACA study is to evaluate the effect of laparoscopic antibiotic peritoneal lavage with gentamicin / clindamycin for 3 minutes after appendectomy on the incidence of IAA in patients with CA.