Optimal Care of Complicated Appendicitis

When the appendix becomes infected and inflamed, it is called appendicitis. Sometimes, if the infection and inflammation get worse, the appendix can die or burst, leading to a larger infection or even pus pockets around the appendix. This is called complicated, or perforated, appendicitis. Three common treatments for complicated appendicitis are * appendectomy (removal of the appendix) right away * appendectomy several weeks after the diagnosis * treating the appendicitis without performing an appendectomy This study seeks to determine which of these three approaches is most cost-effective in children with complicated appendicitis.