Evidence map›Paper›PMID 22041239›Full record

ArticleAnnals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England2011

Increased use of pre-operative imaging and laparoscopy has no impact on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing appendicectomy.

S R Markar, A Karthikesalingam, J Cunningham, C Burd, G Bond-Smith, T R Kurzawinski

Abstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

S R MarkarUniversity College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
A Karthikesalingam
J Cunningham
C Burd
G Bond-Smith
T R Kurzawinski

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe aim of this study was to review changes in the management of acute appendicitis in a ten-year period at a large university teaching hospital in London.

methodsThis was a retrospective cohort study reviewing the medical records of patients who underwent an appendicectomy over a period of 12 months either in 1999 or 2009. Data collected included use of radiological investigations (ultrasonography, computed tomography [CT]), technique of appendicectomy (open [OA] or laparoscopic [LA]), operative time, histopathology and post-operative complications. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to assess the influence of variables on the incidence of negative appendicectomy, appendiceal perforation and post-operative complications.

resultsAll of the patients operated on in 1999 (n=109) had OA. Of the patients operated on in 2009 (n=164), 67 had OA, 91 had LA and 6 had LA converted to OA. None of the patients in 1999 had CT whereas in 2009 26% of patients had CT (sensitivity 94.7%, specificity 75.0%). This increased use of pre-operative imaging had no effect on negative appendicectomy (25.7% vs 12.8%, p=0.445), perforation (30.0% vs 21.3%, p=0.308) or complication rates (9.2% vs 10.4%). The complication rate was also similar regardless of whether patients had OA or LA (11.9% vs 9.9%). Multivariate analysis revealed that age was the only predictor of negative appendicectomy (p=0.029) or perforation (p=0.014).

conclusionsThis study shows that significant increase in the use of pre-operative imaging and laparoscopy in the management of patients with acute appendicitis failed to reduce negative appendicectomy, perforation and complications rates. The patient's age was the only predictor of negative appendicectomy and perforation.

Indexed as

AdultAge FactorsAppendectomyAppendicitisFemaleHospitalizationHospitals, TeachingHumansLaparoscopyLondonMalePostoperative ComplicationsPreoperative CareRetrospective StudiesTomography, X-Ray ComputedTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID22041239
PMCPMC3566688

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.