Appendix removed unnecessarily?

After more than a century of appendectomies, researchers have found that such operations are not always necessary. In many cases, antibiotic therapy can be just as effective in treating appendicitis.

In the United States alone, more than 300,000. Americansow underwent surgery to remove the appendix. The Finnish researchers suggest that many of those osob could have avoided surgical intervention. Instead, their condition can be safely treated with antibiotics.

The study analyzed data from more than 250 adults in Finland, whichowho had appendicitis and were treated with antibiotics. This group was porownana with other 270 adults, ktore underwent surgery to remove their appendix. All participants were followed up for five years.

The results of these observations showed that almost two-thirds of the osob (64 percent.) whoore received antibiotics, it was considered a "successfully treated", which means that they did not experience another attack of appendicitis or any complications. The remaining 36 percent eventually required surgery to remove the appendix, but none of them experienced harmful effectsoin opoThe origin of the surgeon’s intervention.

A study conducted by a scientistow from the University of Turku were published in the journal „JAMA”.

The study showed roalso that people whoore received antibiotic treatment also had significantly lower rates of complications, in cfown to a group of osob, whichore underwent surgery. In the group treated with antibiotics, the percentage of osob with complications resultingoffl 6.5 percent. In the second group, this rate will resultomal 24 percent. People also recovered faster after antibiotic treatment.

– The results show that antibiotics rather than treatmentoin surgery are a viable and safe option for patientsow – said study author Dr. Paulina Salminen, a surgeon at Turku University Hospital in Finland.

Several previous studies have already suggested that antibiotics may be effective in treating appendicitis. However, in previous analyses, the health of the patient was not monitoredow for so long after treatment with antibiotics. In the new study, the patient was observedow for five years.

The study authors emphasize that the participants in their analysis did not have dangerous complications such as perforation or abscessing. In such cases, surgery is necessary.