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IMPORTANCE: The clinical significance of gangrenous, suppurative, or exudative (GSE) findings is poorly characterized in children with nonperforated appendicitis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether GSE findings in children with nonperforated appendicitis are associated with increased risk of surgical site infections and resource utilization. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multicenter cohort study used data from the Appendectomy Targeted Database of the American College of Surgeons Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, which were augmented with operative report data obtained by supplemental medical record review. Data were obtained from 15 hospitals participating in the Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network (EPSN) research consortium. The study cohort comprised children (aged ≤18 years) with nonperforated appendicitis who underwent appendectomy from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2020. EXPOSURES: The presence of GSE findings was established through standardized, keyword-based audits of operative reports by EPSN surgeons. Interrater agreement for the presence or absence of GSE findings was evaluated in a random sample of 900 operative reports. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative surgical site infections (incisional and organ space infections). Secondary outcomes included rates of hospital revisits, postoperative abdominal imaging, and postoperative length of stay. Multivariable mixed-effects regression was used to adjust measures of association for patient characteristics and clustering within hospitals. RESULTS: Among 6133 children with nonperforated appendicitis, 867 (14.1%) had GSE findings identified from operative report review (hospital range, 4.2%-30.2%; P

BACKGROUND: The majority of opioid overdose admissions in pediatric patients are associated with prescription opioids. Post-operative prescriptions are an addressable source of opioids in the household. This study aims to assess for sustained reduction in opioid prescribing after implementation of provider-based education at nine centers. METHODS: Opioid prescribing information was collected for pediatric patients undergoing umbilical hernia repair at nine centers between December 2018 and January 2019, one year after the start of an education intervention. This was compared to prescribing patterns in the immediate pre- and post-intervention periods at each of the nine centers. RESULTS: In the current study period, 29/127 (22.8%) patients received opioid prescriptions (median 8 doses) following surgery. There were no medication refills, emergency department returns or readmissions related to the procedure. There was sustained reduction in opioid prescribing compared to pre-intervention (22.8% vs 75.8% of patients, p

To evaluate whether redosing antibiotics within an hour of incision is associated with a reduction in incisional surgical site infection (iSSI) in children with appendicitis.Existing data remain conflicting as to whether children with appendicitis receiving antibiotics at diagnosis benefit from antibiotic redosing prior to incision.This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study using data from the Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program augmented with antibiotic utilization and operative report data obtained though supplemental chart review. Children undergoing appendectomy at 14 hospitals participating in the Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network from 7/2016-6/2020 who received antibiotics upon diagnosis of appendicitis between 1-6 hours prior to incision were included. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare odds of iSSI in those who were and were not redosed with antibiotics within one hour of incision, adjusting for patient demographics, disease severity, antibiotic agents, and hospital-level clustering of events.3,533 children from 14 hospitals were included. Overall, 46.5% were redosed (hospital range: 1.8%-94.4%, P0.001) and iSSI rates were similar between groups (redosed: 1.2% vs. non-redosed: 1.3%; OR 0.84, [95%CI 0.39-1.83]). In subgroup analyses, redosing was associated with lower iSSI rates when cefoxitin was used as the initial antibiotic (redosed: 1.0% vs. non-redosed: 2.5%; OR 0.38, [95%CI 0.17-0.84]), but no benefit was found with other antibiotic regimens, longer periods between initial antibiotic administration and incision, or with increased disease severity.Redosing of antibiotics within one hour of incision in children who received their initial dose within 6 hours of incision was not associated with reduction in risk of incisional site infection unless cefoxitin was used as the initial antibiotic.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the suspension of nonemergent surgeries throughout New York. Our tertiary care children’s hospital pivoted towards a brief trial of intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy in all patients in order to limit operating room (OR) utilization and avoid prolonged hospital stays. We describe our pandemic-based strategy for non-operative management (NOM) of appendicitis but with a limited duration of IV antibiotics. Methods We performed a retrospective study of children treated for acute appendicitis at our center from 3/31/2020 to 5/3/2020 during the peak of the New York pandemic. We compared appendicitis volume to similar months in prior years. We evaluated failure of NOM, length of stay, and compared characteristics of children we successfully treated with our expanded NOM protocol to previously published inclusion criteria for NOM. Results 45.5% of children (25/55) with acute appendicitis underwent NOM. Of the 30 who underwent surgery, 13 had complicated appendicitis while 17 had simple appendicitis. Three patients were COVID-positive, although none had respiratory symptoms. The majority of patients presenting with acute appendicitis (78.2%) did not meet previously published criteria for NOM. Conclusions We treated a similar volume of children with acute appendicitis during the pandemic compared to prior years. We applied non-operative management to nearly half our patients, even as we expanded inclusion criteria for NOM to reduce OR utilization, but limited the duration of the antibiotic trial to avoid prolonged hospital stays. Type of study Retrospective study. Level of evidence IV.

IntroductionData examining rates of postoperative complications among SARS-CoV-2 positive children are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 positive status on postoperative respiratory outcomes for children.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included SARS-CoV-2 positive pediatric patients across 20 hospitals who underwent general anesthesia from March to October 2020. The primary outcome was frequency of postoperative respiratory complications, including: high-flow nasal cannula/non invasive ventilation, reintubation, pneumonia, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), and 30-day respiratory-related readmissions or emergency department (ED) visits. Univariate analyses were used to evaluate associations between patient and procedure characteristics and stratified analyses by symptoms were performed examining incidence of complications.ResultsOf 266 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, 163 (61.7%) were male, and the median age was 10 years (interquartile range 4-14). The majority of procedures were emergent or urgent (n=214, 80.5%). The most common procedures were appendectomies (n=78, 29.3%) and fracture repairs (n=40,15.0%). 13 patients (4.9%) had preoperative symptoms including cough or dyspnea. 26 patients (9.8%) had postoperative respiratory complications, including 15 requiring high-flow oxygen, 8 with pneumonia, 4 requiring non invasive ventilation, 3 respiratory ED visits, and 2 respiratory readmissions. Respiratory complications were more common among symptomatic patients than asymptomatic patients (30.8% vs. 8.7%, p=0.01). Higher ASA class and comorbidities were also associated with postoperative respiratory complications.ConclusionsPostoperative respiratory complications are less common in asymptomatic versus symptomatic SARS-COV-2 positive children. Relaxation of COVID-19-related restrictions for time-sensitive, non urgent procedures in selected asymptomatic patients may be reasonably considered. Additionally, further research is needed to evaluate the costs and benefits of routine testing for asymptomatic patients.Level of evidenceIii, Respiratory complications.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted timely access to care for children, including patients with appendicitis. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on management of appendicitis and patient outcomes.A multicenter retrospective study was performed including 19 children's hospitals from April 2019-October 2020 of children (age≤18 years) diagnosed with appendicitis. Groups were defined by each hospital's city/state stay-at-home orders (SAHO), designating patients as Pre-COVID (Pre-SAHO) or COVID (Post-SAHO). Demographic, treatment, and outcome data were obtained, and univariate and multivariable analysis was performed.Of 6,014 patients, 2,413 (40.1%) presented during the COVID-19 pandemic. More patients were managed non-operatively during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic (147 (6.1%) vs 144 (4.0%), p0.001). Despite this change, there was no difference in the proportion of complicated appendicitis between groups (1,247 (34.6%) vs 849 (35.2%), p = 0.12). COVID era non-operative patients received fewer additional procedures, including interventional radiology (IR) drain placements, compared to pre-COVID non-operative patients (29 (19.7%) vs 69 (47.9%), p0.001). On adjusted analysis, factors associated with increased odds of receiving non-operative management included: increasing duration of symptoms (OR=1.01, 95% CI: 1.01-1.012), African American race (OR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.3-4.6), and testing positive for COVID-19 (OR=10.8, 95% CI: 5.4-21.6).Non-operative management of appendicitis increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, fewer COVID era cases required IR procedures. These changes in the management of pediatric appendicitis during the COVID pandemic demonstrates the potential for future utilization of non-operative management.

Clinical and radiographic findings often lead to diagnostic laparoscopy for presumed adnexal torsion (AT). To better understand the preoperative factors leading to AT, we evaluated the clinical course of patients with ultrasound findings concerning for AT to assess intraoperative AT rates and predictive factors for AT.An institutional review board-approved retrospective review in two hospital centers over a period of 5 y was performed for females (4-18 y) with ultrasound (US) findings concerning for AT (n = 225). Preoperative clinical, radiographic, and intraoperative findings were assessed for patients with intraoperative AT versus for those without.The median age of patients was 14 y. Of those who went to the operating room (OR) (n = 113), AT was found in 57%. There was no difference between patients taken to the OR with or without AT regarding demographics or presentation. The presence of nausea/vomiting, tenderness, leukocytosis, lack of blood flow, or a mass/cyst5 cm were found to be more likely in patients with AT than in those without. An ovarian volume ratio15 was noted to be predictive of AT. Six patients initially discharged from the emergency department returned and went to the OR, two of which had AT, both with ovarian salvage.Limited data are available when counseling patients with presumed AT. We found the larger mean ovarian volume and an ovarian volume ratio15 were predictive of AT. Despite this, 43% of patients taken to the OR did not have AT. This relatively high rate of not finding AT intraoperatively may be justified given the sequelae of missing AT.

Pediatric patients with medically refractory ulcerative colitis (UC) often undergo an initial subtotal colectomy end ileostomy (STC-I). The role of fecal diversion in the subsequent completion proctectomy/ileal-pouch anal anastomosis (CP-IPAA) remains controversial. A multi-institutional retrospective review was performed of pediatric UC patients who underwent an STC-I followed by CP-IPAA from 2008 to 2016. 37 patients were included [diverted (n = 20), undiverted (n = 17)]. Children who underwent undiverted CP-IPAA had a longer length of stay (days) compared to the diverted group (9, 6.5–13 vs. 6, 5–6, p = 0.002). The 30-day complication rate was significantly higher in the undiverted group (p = 0.003) although the difference in anastomotic leak, readmission rate, unplanned computer tomography use, and reoperation was not statistically significant. Three patients with undiverted CP-IPAA required additional surgery in the perioperative period for fecal diversion. The mean long-term follow-up was 25.68 ± 21.56 months. There were no significant differences in functional pouch outcomes. Patients who underwent an undiverted CP-IPAA after initial STC-I had significantly more complications in the immediate postoperative period compared to diverted patients, although this did not translate into long-term differences in functional outcomes. Questions remain regarding careful patient selection and counseling for undiverted pouches in the pediatric UC population.

Subtotal colectomy with end ileostomy (STC-I) has been well established in the adult literature as an initial surgical treatment for refractory inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-related colitis. However, in the pediatric population, the efficacy of this approach has been less well characterized, likely because of concerns regarding the advisability of leaving a diseased rectum in situ. Our aim was to examine the outcomes after STC-I for refractory IBD at our pediatric tertiary care center.An institutional review board-approved retrospective review of patients aged 5-21 y who underwent operative treatment with initial STC-I for medically refractory IBD from January 2010 to August 2018. Only complications related to the STC-I were considered; complications subsequent to reconstruction are excluded from analysis. Early complications were defined as occurring within 60 d of STC-I. We performed descriptive statistics using the Fisher exact test and the Student t-test, as appropriate.Over the study period, 37 patients (aged 12.3 ± 4.2 y) underwent STC-I, with 73.0% performed laparoscopically. Patients were predominately male (51.4%) and Caucasian (48.6%). Thirty-one (83.8%) colectomies were performed for ulcerative colitis, two (5.4%) for Crohn disease, and four (10.8%) for indeterminate colitis. Nutritional status improved postcolectomy. Albumin levels of 3.3 ± 0.8 preoperatively increased to 4.3 ± 0.47 postoperatively (P 0.001). Colonic bleeding was stopped by STC-I with increases in the hematocrit from 30.5 ± 6.8 preoperative to 38.9 ± 4.1 postoperatively (P 0.001). Average time to discontinuation of IBD-related medications was 4 wk (n = 27). Forty-eight percent required outpatient rectal treatment for proctitis. Patients did well long term, with 67.5% reestablishing intestinal continuity at our institution. Average postoperative length of stay was shorter in the laparoscopic group compared with those undergoing open operations (5.1 ± 2.2 versus 6.9 ± 1.6 d, P = 0.03). Readmission rate at 30 d was 21.1%. Patients experiencing unplanned readmission or unplanned operations were similar between groups (30% versus 33.3%, P = 0.85 and 30% versus 18.5%, P = 0.45, respectively). Overall, 14 (37.8%) patients experienced a complication with many patients experiencing multiple complications. Early complications occurred in nine (24.3%) patients. Late complications also occurred in 24.3% of patients. There were four (10.8%) patients with five admissions for bowel obstruction, two of whom required operative intervention (5.4%).Use of STC-I as an initial procedure in the treatment of refractory IBD-related colitis in children is a safe and reasonable surgical approach that allows weaning from immunosuppressing mediations and stops colonic bleeding. Implementing a laparoscopic approach to subtotal colectomy provides further benefit by reducing postoperative length of stay.

BACKGROUND The development of a gastrocutaneous fistula (GCF) after gastrostomy tube removal is a frequent complication that occurs 5%-45% of the time. Conservative therapy with chemical cauterization is frequently unsuccessful, and surgical GCF repair with open primary layered closure of the gastrotomy is often required. We describe an alternative approach of GCF closure that is an outpatient, less invasive procedure that allows patients to avoid the comorbidities of general endotracheal anesthesia and intraabdominal surgery. METHODS This is an Institutional Review Board approved retrospective review of all patients who underwent GCF closure from January 2010 to July 2016 at a tertiary care children's hospital. Demographics including age, weight, body mass index, comorbidities, and initial indication for gastrostomy tube were recorded. Operative details such as ASA score, operative duration, type of anesthesia, and airway were noted. Based on surgeon preference, two types of operative closure were used during that time frame: primary layered closure or curettage and cautery (C&C). The latter is a procedure in which the fistula tract is first scraped with a fine curette, and then the fistula opening and tract are cauterized circumferentially. Finally, the presence of a persistent fistula and the need for formal reoperation were determined. RESULTS Sixty-five unique patients requiring GCF closure were identified. Of those, 44 patients (67.6%) underwent primary closure and 21 patients (32.3%) underwent C&C. The success rate of primary closure was 97% with one patient experiencing wound breakdown with persistent fistula. The overall success rate of C&C was 66.7% (14/21). Among those 14 patients, 11 (52.4%) GCF patients were closed by 1 mo. An additional two patients' gastrocutaneous fistulae were closed by 4 mo (61.9%). One GCF was successfully closed with a second C&C procedure. Seven of the 21 patients (33.3%) required subsequent formal layered surgical closure. C&C had significantly shorter operative times (13.5 ± 14.7 min versus 93.4 ± 61.8, P

Introduction Despite its minimally invasive approach, laparoscopic surgery can cause considerable pain. Regional analgesic techniques such as the rectus sheath block (RSB) offer improved pain management following elective umbilical hernia repair in the pediatric population. This effect has not been examined in laparoscopic single-incision surgery in children. We sought to compare the efficacy of bilateral ultrasound-guided RSB versus local anesthetic infiltration (LAI) in providing postoperative pain relief in pediatric single-incision transumbilical laparoscopic assisted appendectomy (TULA) with same-day discharge. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 275 children, ages 4 to 17 years old, who underwent TULA for uncomplicated appendicitis in a single institution from August 2014 to July 2015. We compared those that received preincision bilateral RSB (n=136) with those who received LAI (n=139). The primary outcome was narcotic administration. Secondary outcomes included initial and mean scores, time from anesthesia induction to release, operative time, time to rescue dose of analgesic in the PACU and time to PACU discharge. Results Total narcotic administration was significantly reduced in patients that underwent preincision RSB compared to those that received conventional LAI, with a mean of 0.112 mg/kg of morphine versus 0.290 mg/kg morphine (p Conclusion Preincision RSB for TULA in uncomplicated appendicitis in children is associated with decreased opioid consumption and lower pain scores compared with LAI. As the addition of this procedure only added 6.67min to time under anesthesia, we feel that it is a viable option for postoperative pain control in pediatric single-incision laparoscopic surgery. Retrospective comparative study LEVEL III EVIDENCE.