Appendectomy timing review finds no clear outcome differences
Among adults with uncomplicated appendicitis, pooled studies found no statistically significant differences in operating time or hospital stay after early versus delayed keyhole surgery.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review found no statistically significant differences in operating time or hospital stay after surgery. Complication outcomes were reported as similar between groups. This evidence concerns adults with acute uncomplicated appendicitis; it does not establish that the timings are equivalent or that delaying surgery is appropriate for every patient.
This abstract-based summary lacks confidence intervals and precise definitions of early and delayed surgery. Most studies were observational, and the randomized trial had minor risk-of-bias concerns.
What researchers found
Hospital stay after surgery
Early versus delayed keyhole appendix removal; hospital stay measured after surgery. The abstract gives no confidence interval.
What the review compared
Researchers pooled randomized and cohort studies of adults undergoing keyhole appendix removal. They compared operating time, hospital stay after surgery, appendix perforation, deaths, infections at the surgical site, overall complications, and hospital readmission.
How the authors viewed a delay
The authors considered an 8-hour delay for logistical reasons potentially acceptable. They also called for more randomized trials and larger reviews, so their conclusion should be read alongside the uncertainty in the evidence.
The original publication
Early versus delayed laparoscopic appendectomy for acute uncomplicated appendicitis in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Khan I, Qasim SA, Malik HM et al.
BMC Surg · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41390640
- Record checked
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