Guest posting: Dr Celia Cooper, Paediatric Infectious Diseases & Microbiology, South Australia Pathology,  Adelaide

Dr Cooper’s recent presentation to the Australian New Zealand Paediatric Infectious Diseases Interest Group in November is provided with her permission. Her presentation highlights important messages:  

1. Post-operative antibiotics for patients with non-perforated appendicitis who have acute surgery are unnecessary (refer to IDSA Guidelines 2010)
2. Short course treatment for perforated appendicitis should be the norm – 4 days once source control achieved (see this posting and below)
3. [ Non-operative (antibiotic) management of non-perforated appendicitis works, though a significant number of adults require later operation (see below for excerpt) and our local surgeons do not favour this approach. It requires a greater antibiotic exposure.

Reference:  Celia Cooper Nov 2015 Antibiotics and Appendicitis