Quality of care received by children with suspected appendicitis in the UK National Health Service
Authors' conclusion
Despite a high compliance with published recommendations for several aspects of care, deficiencies were identified.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 1–16 y undergoing appendicectomy for suspected appendicitis, UK NHS
- Participants
- 2,799 children · 80 hospitals
- Exposure
- Specialist paediatric centres vs other settings
- Outcome
- Compliance with published standards of care and relationship between care delivery and postoperative morbidity
- Follow-up
- 30 days
Methodological detailsbivariable and multivariable analysis
- Bivariable and multivariable analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Compliance with standards of care
Pre-operative imaging
42.6%
Multimodal analgesia
70.8%
Surgery within 24 h of presentation
72.8%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Specialist paediatric centres
- Children younger, higher burden of chronic disease and higher rates of complicated appendicitis
- Less likely to have a negative appendicectomy
Safety
Postoperative complications in specialist paediatric centres
- More likely to experience postoperative complications
Original publication
Quality of care received by children with suspected appendicitis in the UK National Health Service. Anaesthesia. Published 12 March 2026. doi:10.
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