The Role of Imaging in the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Completed

• Conditions: Appendicitis
• Interventions: Diagnostic Test: Pre-operative imaging

• Registration Number: NCT05205681
• Lead Sponsor: University College London Hospitals

Brief Summary

This is a retrospective observational study in the form of a cohort study evaluating the use of pre-operative imaging for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in a tertiary centre during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. The study group includes all patients who underwent emergency appendicectomy for suspected acute appendicitis between March 2020 and February 2021, while the control group includes all patients who underwent emergency appendicectomy for suspected acute appendicitis between March 2019 and February 2020. The final histology will be used as primary outcome, as the study hypothesis is that increasing the use of pre-operative imaging will reduce the negative appendicectomy rate.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2021-12-01
• Study First Submitted: 2022-01-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-01-22
• Study First Posted: 2022-01-25
• Primary Completion: 2022-01-31
• Study Completion: 2022-01-31
• Status Verified: 2022-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-02-02
• Last Update Posted: 2022-02-03

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 313

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients of all ages who underwent emergency appendicectomy (either laparoscopic or open) for suspected acute appendicitis
• Patients of all ages who underwent partial ileo-caecectomy or right hemicolectomy for suspected acute appendicitis

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients who underwent elective interval appendicectomy for a previous appendiceal phlegmon
• Patients who underwent appendicectomy or right hemicolectomy for appendiceal tumours
• Patients who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy for suspected acute appendicitis, where the appendix was not removed

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Pandemic Group	Pre-operative imaging	All patients who underwent emergency appendicectomy for suspected acute appendicitis between March 2020 and February 2021
Control Group	Pre-operative imaging	All patients who underwent emergency appendicectomy for suspected acute appendicitis between March 2019 and February 2020

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Negative Appendicectomy Rate (NAR)	Up to 3 weeks post-operatively (when final Histology is ready)	Number of patients with final histology negative for acute appendicitis

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Post-Operative Length of Stay	Assessed on day 30 after the completion of the study	Post-operative length of hospital stay (from post-operative day 1)
Post-Operative Complications Rate	Within 30 post-operative days	Number of patients who had post-operative complications

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; 🇬🇧 London, United Kingdom