Intraabdominal pressure:: A parameter helpful for diagnosing and predicting a complicated course in children with appendicitis

Background/Purpose: The intraabdominal pressure (IAP) of children presenting with acute, perforated, or suspected appendicitis were determined and compared to define if the IAP has any diagnostic value or helps to predict a complicated course. Methods: Eighty-four patients with a initial diagnosis of appendicitis were evaluated. In addition to preoperative measurements, IAP of each patient was determined repeatedly on the postoperative first, second, and third days. The patients were grouped according to the final diagnoses as acute, perforated, or suspected appendicitis or negative exploration. The preoperative and postoperative IAP of the patients were compared among the groups. Postoperative complications were recorded, and IAP of those patients were additionally compared with the others in the same group. Results: Whereas a normal appendix was found in 4 of the operated patients, 27 and 38 patients had acute and perforated appendicitis, respectively. The mean preoperative values of IAP for acute, perforated, or suspected appendicitis and negative exploration were 6.2 +/- 0.4, 9 +/- 0.3, 0.3 +/- 0.4, and 3 +/- 0.4 cm H2O, respectively (P < .001). Postoperative first day and second day values of the IAP for acute appendicitis, perforated appendicitis, and negative laparotomy groups were 2 +/- 0.2 and 0.6 +/- 0.1, 3 +/- 0.1 and 1.5 +/- 0.1, 0.5 +/- 0.6 and -0.2 +/- 0.6 cm H2O, respectively. The difference between acute and perforated appendicitis groups was significant (P < .05). Wound infection was encountered in 7 among 38 patients with perforated appendicitis. The preoperative and first postoperative day IAP values of patients with perforated appendicitis who experienced a wound infection and who were without a wound infection have been 11.8 +/- 0.4 and 4.8 +/- 0.2, and 8.4 +/- 0.2 and 3.1 +/- 0.3 cm H2O (P < .001). Discriminant analysis has shown that 93.3%, 70.4%, and 73.3% of patients with suspected, acute, and perforated appendicitis have been within the expected groups. IAP less than 1.39 cm H2O has excluded appendicitis with a 95% confidence interval. Although the interval has been between 5.40 and 7.04 cm H2O for acute appendicitis, it has varied between 8.46 and 9.70 cm H2O for perforated appendicitis. Conclusions: Although the IAP does not increase in conditions mimicking appendicitis, it increases among children with appendicitis. A further increase is encountered among children with perforated appendicitis. Complicated course is encountered among children with highest IAP values. Therefore, IAP may be used both as a diagnostic parameter and a predictor of a complicated course associated with appendicitis in children. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.