Removing a child's ruptured appendix sooner rather than latersignificantly lowers hospital costs and charges, according to arecently published study. An estimated $10,000 in hospital charges was saved when pediatricgeneral surgeons removed the ruptured appendix within the first 24hours, compared to the alternative treatment, called an intervalappendectomy, which involved removing the appendix six-eight weekslater. The study was published in the Journal of American College of Surgeons , and was led by Martin Blakely, M.D., MS, associate professor ofSurgery and Pediatrics at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospitalat Vanderbilt.
Childhood appendicitis is one of the most common conditions that pediatric generalsurgeons treat. About one-third of appendicitis cases in childrenyounger than 18 involve a perforated, or ruptured, appendix. Thatcauses fluid to spill into the peritoneal cavity, increasing riskfor infection and other complications. Surgeons often debate which of two therapies is best to treat theperforated organ - early appendectomy or interval appendectomy. Ina three-year trial, researchers conducted two studies to look atthe two treatment options for the condition.
"We pretty much have non-perforated appendix figured out. A childshows up with non-perforated appendix, we tune them up a little bitand take their appendix out, and most of them go home the nextday," said Blakely. "With a perforated appendix, the perforation isn't the problem.It's all the spillage that has spread around the peritoneal cavity.Almost all children with a perforated appendix will get better -with either treatment - but the question is, which therapy will letyou get better sooner and does one cost more?" In early appendectomy, surgeons remove the appendix within severalhours. With interval appendectomy, they usually drain fluid fromthe abdominal abscess and prescribe antibiotics to the child, who is then sent home. The appendectomy is performedabout six-eight weeks later.
The first study considered which treatment allowed a child toreturn to "normal activities" more quickly. Results showed earlyappendectomy was favorable, allowing normal activities to resumesix days sooner. The second study, published in the April paper, examined if eithertreatment was more cost effective than the other. The cost analysisinvolved 131 patients who were randomized to receive one of the twotreatments at a Memphis hospital.
Interval therapy showed to have significantly higher costs, whichwere primarily associated with an increase in adverse events suchas wound infections, bowel obstruction and unplanned readmissions. Additional References Citations. I am an expert from Petroleum & Products, usually analyzes all kind of industries situation, such as personalized christmas stockings , big collar shirt.
Related Articles -
personalized christmas stockings, big collar shirt,
|
