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It's time to deconstruct treatment-failure: A randomized controlled trial of nonoperative management of uncomplicated pediatric appendicitis with antibiotics alone
Perez Otero, Sofia; Metzger, Julia W; Choi, Beatrix H; Ramaraj, Akila; Tashiro, Jun; Kuenzler, Keith A; Ginsburg, Howard B; Tomita, Sandra S; Fisher, Jason C
BACKGROUND:Published data demonstrate that management of uncomplicated pediatric appendicitis with antibiotics-alone is safe and frequently successful. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing antibiotics-alone to appendectomy are lacking, alongside insight into drivers of failure. We sought to validate the antibiotics-alone approach and identify barriers to success using an RCT design. METHODS:Patients aged 6-17 years with uncomplicated appendicitis were randomized to appendectomy or intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam for 24-48Â h followed by 10 days of oral ciprofloxacin/metronidazole. Enrollment required symptoms <48Â h, WBC<18, appendiceal diameter <11Â mm, and radiographic absence of perforation. Lack of clinical improvement or persistently elevated WBC resulted in appendectomy. Primary outcomes were 1-year success rate of antibiotics-alone and quality-of-life measures. RESULTS:Among 39 children enrolled over 31 months, 20 were randomized to antibiotics-alone and 19 to surgery. At 1 year, 6 nonoperative patients underwent appendectomy (70% success). Four cases were not true antibiotic failures but instead reflected "pragmatic" challenges to executing nonoperative algorithms. Only 2 cases represented recurrent/refractory appendicitis, suggesting a 90% adjusted 1-year success rate. Parental PedsQLâ„¢ scores were similar between treatment cohorts (91.3Â vs 90.2, PÂ =Â 0.32). Children treated with antibiotics-alone had faster return to activity (2.0Â vs 12 days, PÂ =Â 0.001) and fewer parental missed work days (0.0Â vs 2.5, PÂ =Â 0.03). CONCLUSIONS:These data corroborate findings from non-randomized studies suggesting 70-90% of uncomplicated pediatric appendicitis can be treated with antibiotics-alone, with fewer disability days. Failures appear multifactorial, often reflecting practical hurdles and not antibiotic limitations. As surgeons consider nonoperative protocols for uncomplicated appendicitis, these data further inform the variability of treatment success. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:1; randomized controlled trial.
PMID: 34674843
ISSN: 1531-5037
CID: 5064342
It's time to deconstruct treatment-failure: A randomized controlled trial of nonoperative management of uncomplicated pediatric appendicitis with antibiotics alone [Meeting Abstract]
Otero, Sofia Perez; Metzger, Julia W.; Choi, Beatrix H.; Ramaraj, Akila; Tashiro, Jun; Kuenzler, Keith A.; Ginsburg, Howard B.; Tomita, Sandra S.; Fisher, Jason C.
ISI:000748293000011
ISSN: 0022-3468
CID: 5242732
Response to Letter to Editor: Standardized Care and Oral Antibioics on Discharge for Pediatric Perforated Appendicitis [Letter]
Tomita, Sandra; Fisher, Jason; Ginsburg, Howard; Kuenzler, Keith; Choi, Jee-Hye; Gordon, Alex
PMID: 34274121
ISSN: 1095-8673
CID: 5066582
Increase in Pediatric Perforated Appendicitis in the New York City Metropolitan Region at the Epicenter of the COVID-19 Outbreak
Fisher, Jason C; Tomita, Sandra S; Ginsburg, Howard B; Gordon, Alex; Walker, David; Kuenzler, Keith A
OBJECTIVE:The aim of the study was to determine whether perforated appendicitis rates in children were influenced by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surge. BACKGROUND:Disruption of care pathways during a public health crisis may prevent children from obtaining prompt assessment for surgical conditions. Progression of appendicitis to perforation is influenced by timeliness of presentation. In the context of state-mandated controls and public wariness of hospitals, we investigated the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on perforated appendicitis in children. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:We conducted an analysis of all children presenting to 3 hospital sites with acute appendicitis between March 1 and May 7, 2020, corresponding with the peak COVID-19 outbreak in the New York City region. Control variables were collected from the same institutions for the preceding 5 years. The primary outcome measure was appendiceal perforation. RESULTS:Fifty-five children presented with acute appendicitis over 10 weeks. Compared to a 5-year control cohort of 1291 patients, we observed a higher perforation rate (45% vs 27%, odds ratio 2.23, 95% confidence interval 1.29-3.85, P = 0.005) and longer mean duration of symptoms in children with perforations (71 ± 39 vs 47 ± 27 h, P = 0.001) during the COVID-19 period. There were no differences in perforation rates (55% vs 59%, P = 0.99) or median length of stay (1.0 vs 3.0 days, P = 0.58) among children screening positive or negative for SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS:Children in the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak demonstrated higher rates of perforated appendicitis compared to historical controls. Preoperative detection of SARS-CoV-2 was not associated with inferior outcomes. Although children likely avoid much of the morbidity directly linked to COVID-19, disruption to local healthcare delivery systems may negatively impact other aspects of pediatric surgical disease.
PMID: 32976285
ISSN: 1528-1140
CID: 4606112
Oral Antibiotics and Abscess Formation After Appendectomy for Perforated Appendicitis in Children
Gordon, Alex J; Choi, Jee-Hye; Ginsburg, Howard; Kuenzler, Keith; Fisher, Jason; Tomita, Sandra
BACKGROUND:There is little consensus regarding the use of postoperative antibiotics in the management of perforated appendicitis in children. Patients are commonly discharged with oral antibiotics after a course of intravenous antibiotics; however, recent literature suggests that patients can be safely discharged without any oral antibiotics. To further evaluate this protocol, we conducted a multicenter retrospective preimplementation/postimplementation study comparing rates of abscess formation and rehospitalization between patients discharged with and without oral antibiotics. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:We reviewed the records of all pediatric patients who underwent appendectomies for perforated appendicitis at NYU Tisch Hospital, Bellevue Hospital, and Hackensack University Medical Center from January 2014 to June 2019. Data pertaining to patient demographics, hospital course, intraoperative appearance of the appendix, antibiotic treatment, abscess formation, and rehospitalization were collected. RESULTS:A total of 253 patients were included: 162 received oral antibiotics and 91 did not. The median length of antibiotic treatment (oral and intravenous) was 11 (10-14) d for patients on oral antibiotics and 5 (3-6) d for patients without oral antibiotics (PÂ <Â 0.01). The median leukocyte count at discharge was 9.5 (7.4-10.9) and 8.1 (6.8-10.4) for these groups, respectively (PÂ =Â 0.02). Postoperative abscesses occurred in 22% of patients receiving oral antibiotics and 15% of patients on no antibiotics (PÂ =Â 0.25). Rates of rehospitalization for these groups were 10% and 11%, respectively (PÂ =Â 0.99). CONCLUSIONS:Children who have undergone appendectomy for perforated appendicitis can be safely discharged without oral antibiotics on meeting clinical discharge criteria and white blood cell count normalization.
PMID: 32683057
ISSN: 1095-8673
CID: 4546092
Peritoneal Drainage as a Safe Alternative to Laparotomy in Children with Abdominal Compartment Syndrome [Meeting Abstract]
Choi, B H; Shenoy, R H; Kuenzler, K; Ginsburg, H; Fisher, J C; Tomita, S
Introduction: Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) in children carries a mortality rate of 40% to 60%. Definitive treatment for ACS traditionally involves decompressive laparotomy. Although percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) is an accepted therapy for neonates with intestinal perforation, its adoption for ACS remains low, due to uncertainty concerning its efficacy and concerns about complications. We explored whether PCD safely and successfully reversed ACS physiology in a cohort of children with intra-abdominal fluid.
Method(s): We reviewed records of all children undergoing PCD for ACS from 2014 to 2018 at a single institution. Bedside sonogram-guided PCD was performed by the surgical service using the Seldinger technique, with catheters removed on resolution of ACS physiology and fluid output of <10 mL/d. Clinical variables were explored using descriptive statistics and reported as median with interquartile range (IQR). Physiologic improvements over 24 hours were compared using paired Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.
Result(s): A total of 11 infants with a median age of 11 days (IQR 4 to 273 days) and weight of 4.2 kg (IQR 2.3 to 9.2 kg) underwent PCD for ACS secondary to ascites (n = 6), hemoperitoneum (n = 4), and pneumoperitoneum with ascites (n = 1). Catheters remained in place for a median of 8 days (IQR 5 to 9 days), with a median of 359 mL of fluid (IQR 165 to 1,588 mL) drained in the first 24 hours. Percutaneous catheter drainage resulted in significant physiologic improvement across multiple variables (Table). No catheter-related complications occurred, with only 1 patient requiring subsequent laparotomy.
Conclusion(s): Percutaneous catheter drainage is efficacious in reversing ACS physiology in children with intra-abdominal fluid, and should be considered a safe intervention that can obviate decompressive laparotomy. [Figure presented]
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EMBASE:2002923146
ISSN: 1072-7515
CID: 4109092
Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor in a Young Child With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 1 [Case Report]
Mehta, Shilpa; Rusyn, Larisa; Ginsburg, Howard; Hajdu, Cristina; Kohn, Brenda
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) occur in the context of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). To date, PNETs in association with TSC have been described almost exclusively in adults and in the context of TSC2. We present the evaluation of a PNET in a young child with TSC1. A 3-year, 6-month-old boy with TSC1 was found on surveillance to have a small pancreatic lesion measuring 0.4 cm on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The lesion showed interval enlargement to 1 cm on serial MRI studies during the ensuing 16 weeks. Endocrine laboratory tests did not reveal a functional tumor. The patient underwent enucleation of the pancreatic lesion. Microscopic examination defined a well-differentiated PNET, grade II/intermediate grade with a mitotic rate of two mitotic figures per 10 high-powered field and Ki-67 proliferation index of ∼15%. The tumor was positive for the TSC1 gene mutation. The patient was free of tumor recurrence at the 5-year follow-up examination, as determined by endocrine surveillance and annual MRI of the abdomen. In the reported data, PNET in patients with TSC has been primarily reported in association with TSC2. Our case demonstrates that patients with TSC1 can develop PNETs, even at an early age. The international TSC consensus group 2012 recommendation was to obtain MRI of the abdomen every 1 to 3 years for surveillance of renal angiomyolipomas and renal cystic disease. It might be beneficial to add a pancreatic protocol to the surveillance guidelines to evaluate for PNET.
PMCID:6546344
PMID: 31187078
ISSN: 2472-1972
CID: 3930012
Reply to Letter to the Editor [Letter]
Tomita, Sandra; Fisher, Jason C; Fefferman, Nancy; Ginsburg, Howard B; Kuenzler, Keith A; Choi, Beatrix Hyemin
PMID: 30612745
ISSN: 1531-5037
CID: 3579772
Simple preoperative radiation safety interventions significantly lower radiation doses during central venous line placement in children
Choi, Beatrix Hyemin; Yaya, Kamalou; Prabhu, Vinay; Fefferman, Nancy; Mitchell, Beverly; Kuenzler, Keith A; Ginsburg, Howard B; Fisher, Jason C; Tomita, Sandra
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to reduce radiation exposure during pediatric central venous line (CVL) placement by implementing a radiation safety process including a radiation safety briefing and a job-instruction model with a preradiation time-out. METHODS:We reviewed records of all patients under 21 who underwent CVL placement in the operating room covering 22 months before the intervention through 10 months after 2013-2016. The intervention consisted of a radiation safety briefing by the surgeon to the intraoperative staff before each case and a radiation safety time-out. We measured and analyzed the dose area product (DAP), total radiation time pre- and postintervention, and the use of postprocedural chest radiograph. RESULTS:, P < 0.001) and a 73% decrease in the median radiation time (28 vs 7.6 s, P < 0.001). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in use of confirmatory CXR (95% vs 15%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:A preoperative radiation safety briefing and a radiation safety time-out supported by a job-instruction model were effective in significantly lowering the absorbed doses of radiation in children undergoing CVL insertion. TYPE OF STUDY/METHODS:Case-control study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Level III.
PMID: 30415958
ISSN: 1531-5037
CID: 3456542
Ultrasound Has Limited Utility in the Surgical Management of Geographically Clustered Pediatric MRSA Infections [Meeting Abstract]
Ramaraj, Akila; Lighter-Fisher, Jennifer; Shopsin, Bo; Stachel, Anna; Rosenberg, Rebecca E; Chopra, Arun; Kuenzler, Keith A; Tomita, Sandra S; Ginsburg, Howard B; Fisher, Jason C
ISI:000413315300337
ISSN: 1879-1190
CID: 2767602