Multicenter prospective study of appendiceal tumor prevalence in patients with periappendicular abscess

There are no large prospective studies validating the previously reported high appendiceal tumor rate in patients with periappendicular abscess. The Peri-Appendicitis Acuta Tumor prospective cohirt study, at 12 centers in Finland, included 370 consecutive patients with periappendicular abscess. Among these, 53 patients (14.3%) were diagnosed with an appendiceal tumor. Patient age was the only prognostic factor associated with appendiceal tumor prevalence, with a cutoff limit of 35 years; the sensitivity was 98.1%, as there was only one patient younger than 35 years with appendiceal tumor. The authors conclude that these findings validate the previously reported high rates of appendiceal tumor associated with periappendicular abscess, which confirms that interval appendectomy after successful nonoperative treatment of periappendicular abscess should be the treatment paradigm in patients older than 35 years.