Clinical Research Directory

Same Day Ambulatory Appendectomy (SAMBA)

The potential benefit of outpatient care for this common digestive emergency is considerable, both for the patients themselves and for the public health system: 1. Optimization of the care pathway, reducing the length of stay in hospital (a major issue in the context of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) pandemic) liberating patient beds and staff, and reducing the risk of nosocomial exposure. 2. Improved patient satisfaction compared to waiting for hours in the emergency department due to lack of hospital beds. 3. Non-inferiority of care in an outpatient unit in terms of quality and safety in day hospitalization. 4. Significant decrease in the overall cost of this pathology as a result of a reduction in the hospital stay.

Early Detection of Infection Using the Fitbit in Pediatric Surgical Patients

The purpose of this study is to analyze Fitbit data to predict infection after surgery for complicated appendicitis and the effect this prediction has on clinician decision making.

Clinical Study of PEG Bowel Preparation in Appendectomy Patients

Colonoscopy is a necessary item of physical examination for colorectal cancer. For high-risk groups, annual physical examination is the most effective way of early prevention; At present, a large amount of polyethylene glycol (PEG2000 - 4000) is often used as laxative and lubricant in colonoscopy. However, the widespread use of PEG may cause long-term and irreversible damage to intestinal microorganisms and bring great hidden dangers to health. The appendix has long been regarded as a redundant organ in evolution. The incidence of appendicitis ranks first in surgical acute abdomen. Traditionally, once acute appendicitis is diagnosed, it is usually treated with appendectomy. However, recent studies have revealed that appendectomy may be associated with psychiatric diseases, colorectal cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other diseases. The appendix is not only an important organ of the immune system, but also undertakes the function of storing and protecting intestinal microbes.. . This change may affect the function of the central nervous system through the microbe gut brain axis, and then pose a potential threat to the health and behavior of the host, such as increasing the risk of diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Based on this, this clinical trial aims to investigate (1) the changes of intestinal flora in the appendectomy population before and after colonoscopy in the process of polyethylene glycol intestinal preparation; (2) the differences between the changes of intestinal flora before and after colonoscopy in the appendicectomy population and the normal population in the process of flora recovery.

Operative Versus Non-Operative Management for Appendicitis With Abscess or Phlegmon

The investigators aim to determine if early operative intervention is superior to non-operative management for adult patients with computerized tomography (CT)-proven complicated appendicitis with phlegmon or abscess.

Results of Laparoscopic Appendectomy With Application of Clips Versus Ligature for Stump Closure

This a prospective study to compare between clipping and ligation of appendicular stump in laparoscopic appendectomies regarding ;technical feasibility , post operative complications as fecal fistula and economic consideration.

PAINED: Project Addressing INequities in the Emergency Department

Racial and ethnic inequities in health care quality have been described across a broad range of clinical settings, patient populations, and outcomes. Our overarching goal is to eradicate health care inequities through evidence-based interventions. The objectives of this proposal are to develop and test the impact of two interventions on overcoming clinician implicit bias and mitigating inequities in the management of pain among children seeking care in the emergency department for the treatment of appendicitis or long bone fractures.

Comparative Study of Harmonic Scalpel vs. Suture Ligation for Appendix Base During Laparoscopic Appendectomy

This study is a comparative study between use of suture ligation vs harmonic scalpel for sealing and cutting the base of appendix. The ideal method for closing the appendix stump should be safe, reliable, simple to use, and cost-effective. Various techniques have been introduced for this purpose, each with its advantages and disadvantages. However, no clear consensus has been reached in the literature regarding which technique is superior. This study is to compare the two groups in terms of operative time and postoperative complications and to reach a conclusion as to which one of the two is superior.

Complex And Simple Appendicitis: REstrictive or Liberal Post-operative Antibiotic eXposure - UCSF

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of short-course post-operative antibiotic treatment for simple and complicated appendicitis

Comparison of Outcome of Open Appendectomy With and Without Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block

This study is being conducted to compare two types of pain management techniques in patients undergoing open appendectomy (surgical removal of the appendix through a traditional incision). One group of patients will receive a Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block, a type of regional anesthesia given at the end of surgery to numb the abdominal area and reduce pain. The other group will undergo the same surgery without receiving the TAP block. The purpose of this study is to find out whether adding the TAP block helps in: Reducing postoperative pain Shortening the hospital stay Minimizing complications like nausea, vomiting, and delayed mobility Improving patient satisfaction after surgery Opioid medications are commonly used for pain control after surgery, but they come with side effects such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and risk of dependency. TAP block offers a promising alternative that may reduce or eliminate the need for opioids by targeting specific nerves in the abdominal wall. This will be a randomized controlled trial (considered the gold standard in medical research), meaning patients will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups to ensure fair comparison. The study will enroll 136 adult patients who are diagnosed with appendicitis and are scheduled for open appendectomy at Jinnah Hospital Lahore. By conducting this study, the researchers aim to provide strong scientific evidence on whether TAP block should be routinely used in appendectomy patients to enhance recovery and comfort. If proven effective, this could influence hospital protocols and improve post-surgery care both locally and internationally.

A Global Prospective Cohort Study on Outcomes of Appendicectomy for Appendicitis

This study aims to assess and improve the global management of appendicitis, the most common emergency surgery, by examining various aspects of emergency care systems worldwide. Appendicitis is a time-sensitive condition, and delays in diagnosis or treatment can lead to complications, affecting patient outcomes and increasing healthcare costs. The study uses appendicitis as a "tracer condition" to explore how different healthcare systems manage emergency care, focusing on factors like access, quality, and efficiency. By gathering data from hospitals worldwide, the study seeks to identify areas where emergency surgical care can be improved, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The main goal is to identify gaps in emergency care systems, using a set of key performance measures (KPMs) that assess access to care, the quality of surgical treatment, and patient safety. These include factors like the time from symptom onset to first surgical assessment, the rate of appendectomy performed via minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery, and postoperative complications. The study aims to collect data on at least 14,000 patients from around 500 hospitals globally between February and May 2025. The data will be analyzed by hospital income group (from low to high) to understand how different resource levels impact outcomes and to help guide future policy and practice improvements. The study also includes two sub-studies that focus on specific issues in surgical care. The Sustainability and Waste Management sub-study aims to explore how hospitals manage waste and sustainability practices in operating theatres. This sub-study is part of global efforts to reduce carbon emissions in healthcare settings. The Financing sub-study examines the financial burden of appendicectomy, particularly the out-of-pocket costs for patients in LMICs. It will explore how the costs of open vs. laparoscopic surgery differ and investigate the impact of these costs on patients. By combining global data on clinical outcomes with information on hospital resources and patient finances, this study hopes to provide valuable insights into how to improve emergency surgical care across diverse settings, making recommendations that can lead to better access to safe, timely, and affordable treatment for appendicitis worldwide.

Protocol Based Selective Imaging Versus Routine Computed Tomography or Ultrasound in Suspected Appendicitis

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare protocol based selective imaging to routine imaging in adult patients with suspected appendicitis. The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are: * Does protocol based selective imaging using clinical scoring affect clinical outcome? * Does protocol based selective observation combined with score based selective imaging affect clinical outcome? Participants will be randomized into three groups: * Selective imaging based on Adult Appendicitis Score * Selective observation based on Appendicitis Severity Score combined with selective imaging based on Adult Appendicitis Score * Routine imaging using ultrasound and/or computed tomography Researchers will compare selective imaging groups separately with routine imaging to see if number of negative appendectomies or number of complicated appendicitis is not significantly increased.

Complex and Simple Appendicitis: REstrictive or Liberal Post-operative Antibiotic eXposure (CASA RELAX)

This prospective trial will randomize patients who have had an appendectomy to two different durations of antibiotic therapy depending on the status of the appendicitis. For simple appendicitis, patients will be randomized to peri-operative antibiotics or 24 hours duration. For complex appendicitis, patients will be randomized to 24 hours or 4 days duration. Data will be collected prospectively and test the hypothesis that shorter durations of antibiotics will be non-inferior to the longer durations.

Transumbilical Laparoscopic Appendectomy

Transumbilical laparoscopic appendectomy (TULA) is increasingly favored in the treatment of appendicitis within the realm of minimally invasive surgical approaches. This procedure offers advantages such as superior cosmetic outcomes and reduced postoperative pain. However, like all surgical interventions, it carries the inherent risk of surgical site infections (SSI), which pose significant challenges to patient health and healthcare systems by escalating treatment costs, prolonging recovery, and increasing morbidity rates. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the "glove finger method" in mitigating SSI risk in TULA. The rationale for this study is predicated on the hypothesis that the glove finger method could serve as a simple and cost-effective measure offering potential protection against SSIs. When compared to traditional methods, this technique may not only reduce surgical duration but also diminish the risk of SSIs, thereby potentially decreasing hospital stay durations. Furthermore, enhancing the understanding of factors contributing to the development of SSIs and developing effective strategies for their prevention can elevate patient care quality and alleviate the burden on healthcare systems.

Intravenous Ketorolac Vs. Morphine In Children With Acute Abdominal Pain

Appendicitis is a common condition in children 6-17 years of age, and the top reason for emergency surgery in Canada. Children with appendicitis can have very bad pain in their belly. Children often need pain medications given to them through a needle in their arm called an intravenous (IV). The most common IV pain medication is a type of opioid called morphine. We know that opioids work well to improve pain, but there are risks and side effects when taking them. There are non-opioid medications that doctors can give to patients, like ketorolac. Ketorolac helps decrease inflammation and pain and has fewer side effects when a patient takes it for a short period of time. Our past and present overuse of opioids, driven by an unproven assumption that opioids work best for pain, resulted in an Opioid Crisis and doctors are now looking for alternatives. To do this, we need to prove that there are other options to treat children's pain that are just as good as opioids, with less side effects. The goal of our study is to discover if school aged children who arrive at the emergency department with belly pain, improve just as much with ketorolac as they do with morphine. To answer this question, we will need a very large number of patients in a study that includes several hospitals across Canada. With a flip of a coin, each participant will either get a single dose of morphine or a single dose of ketorolac. To make sure that our pain assessment is impartial, no one will know which medicine the child received except the pharmacist who prepared the medicine.

The Prevalence of Appendiceal Tumours in Periappendicular Abscess

Complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis follow different epidemiological trends also suggesting different pathophysiology behind these two different forms of appendicitis. In 3-10% of patients complicated acute appendicitis is enclosed by formation of a circumscribed periappendicular abscess. The clinically established practice of antibiotic therapy and drainage, if necessary, has been shown safe and effective, allowing the acute inflammatory process to subside in more than 90% of cases without surgery. The need of subsequent interval appendectomy has been questioned with appendicitis recurrence risk varying between 5-26%. During trial enrollment in our randomized Peri-APPAC trial based on the interim analysis results with 17% appendiceal tumor rate in the study population, the trial was prematurely terminated based on ethical concerns. All the follow-up group patients were re-evaluated and surgery was offered and recommended to all follow-up group patients. After this assessment and additional appendectomies, two more tumors were diagnosed resulting in neoplasm rate of 20% in the whole study group all diagnosed in patients over 40 years and the neoplasm rate in patients over 40 years was 29%. Based on high appendiceal tumor rate in patients over 40 years, the appendiceal neoplasm rate needs to be further evaluated in prospective patient cohorts undergoing interval appendectomy as interval appendectomy is generally well tolerated and obliterates the risk of missing a possible tumor. In a recent systematic review of retrospective cohort studies with 13.244 acute appendicitis patients the overall appendiceal tumor rate was 1% after appendectomy, but in patients presenting with appendiceal inflammatory mass the neoplasm rate varied from 10% to 29%. This nationwide prospective multicenter cohort study is designed to assess the prevalence of appendiceal tumors associated with a periappendicular abscess. All consecutive patients presenting with a periappendicular abscess are recommended to undergo interval appendectomy after initial conservative treatment with antibiotic therapy and drainage, if necessary. All patients older than 35 years will undergo laparoscopic interval appendectomy at 2 to 3 months and this is also recommended for the patients between 18 and 35 years of age. Asymptomatic patients under 35 years not willing to undergo interval appendectomy, will undergo a follow-up MRI at 1 year after the initial non-operative treatment.