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

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Appendicitis COVID-19 Cecal Diseases Coronaviridae Infections Coronavirus Infections Digestive System Diseases Gastroenteritis Gastrointestinal Diseases Infections Intestinal Diseases Intraabdominal Infections Lung Diseases Nidovirales Infections Pneumonia Pneumonia, Viral RNA Virus Infections Respiratory Tract Diseases Respiratory Tract Infections Virus Diseases

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

London, NW1 2BU, United Kingdom

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

Pre-operative imaging

Diagnostic Test

Use of pre-operative imaging or the diagnosis of acute appendicitis

Primary outcomes

Negative Appendicectomy Rate (NAR)

Time frame: Up to 3 weeks post-operatively (when final Histology is ready)

Number of patients with final histology negative for acute appendicitis

Secondary outcomes

Post-Operative Length of Stay

Time frame: 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

Time frame: Within 30 post-operative days

Number of patients who had post-operative complications

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University College London Hospitals

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Role of Imaging in the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Retrospective Cohort Study

Important dates

Study start: 2021
Primary completion: 2022
Study completion: 2022
First posted: Jan 25, 2022
Registry last updated: Feb 3, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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