Acute Appendicitis Clinical Care Pathway

from Practice Update, Fall 2006

An ongoing prospective study of children more than three years of age with appendicitis (ruptured and non-ruptured) continues at The Children’s Hospital. The study seeks to define the appropriate use of diagnostic studies (CT scans); determine right antibiotic dosing, redosing and timing related to appendectomy; determine if a standardized pathway can limit length of stay and resource usage while improving outcomes; and enhance the partnership of Emergency Medicine, Radiology and Surgery.

Targeted goals have been established for clinical care measures including postoperative intra-abdominal absess formation rate in perforated appendicitis cases, wound infection rate, length of stay (both ruptured and nonruptured appendicitis), percentage of cases receiving recommended antibiotic regimen and percentage of cases receiving a CT scan.

For more information about the acute appendicitis clinical care pathway, contact David Partrick, MD, or Mory Ziegler, MD, in the Division of Surgery at The Children’s Hospital at 720-777-1234.