SPOKANE, Wash. — Patients typically have surgery to remove the appendix. Now, there's an alternative making headlines, recently published by the American Medical Association that boasts a pill replacement over surgery.
Three years ago, a team of Finnish researchers published a study that showed antibiotics could be used in place of surgery to treat some cases of appendicitis.
The medical community was skeptical and were not convinced the long term effects were safe for patients, because it only followed study patients.
Well, the scientists have returned with a longer follow-up study.
The study involved over 500 adult patients who were diagnosed at a hospital with confirmed uncomplicated acute appendicitis, meaning the appendix has not ruptured and there is no infection.
The patients were then randomly divided into two groups. About half of the patients underwent an appendectomy, and the other half of patients received IV antibiotics for three days while in the hospital, followed by a week of oral antibiotics at home.
The patients who received antibiotics instead of surgery were followed for five years.
The results were recently published in The Journal of American Medicine. Less than half of these patients needed their appendix removed and had less complications than the study patients who had their appendix removed instead of the antibiotic therapy.
Now, there are both uncomplicated and complicated cases of acute or critical appendicitis.
The doctors that were involved in the study say these follow-up results suggest that antibiotics may be a safe alternative to surgery for those patients who have an uncomplicated case of appendicitis.
Doctors say the study also shows that appendicitis does not always cause a ruptured appendix.
However, this does not mean appendicitis should not be taken seriously. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed, get medical attention immediately.
Untreated appendicitis can still lead to emergency surgery or even a deadly infection.