Acute Appendicitis -A Survey by the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons in 2006-

급성 충수염 - 2006년 대한소아외과학회회원 대상 전국조사 -

A nationwide survey on acute appendicitis (AAP) was undertaken among members of the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons. The members were required to complete a questionnaire and the case registration form for each patient during the 6 months period from the $1^{st}$ October, 2005 to $31^{st}$ March, 2006. Questionnaires were collected from 23 members. Four hundred seventy six patients were registered from 21 hospitals where the members were working. The male to female ratio was 1.67:1. Average age was 9 years and 5 months (range 21 months-20 years). Operations were performed on average 10.4 hours (range 1-230 hours) from arrival at hospital. The average operation time was 59.1 minutes. The average admission days were 5.8 days (range 2-45 days). The most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain (95.1 %), vomiting (50.6 %) and fever (43.7%). The average duration of symptoms was 42.2 hours (range 1 hour-22 days). Leukocytosis (WBC count > 10,000) was found in 85.9%. The most popular diagnostic tools were ultrasonography and CT. Open surgery was performed in 72.1 % and laparoscopic surgery in 27.5 %. Two laparoscopic surgeries were converted to open surgery (0.4 %). Simple appendicitis was found in 54.5 % and complicated appendicitis such as abscess, gangrenous change and perforation in 45.5%. According to the questionnaires 12 hospitals were performing open surgery only in all patients. Four hospitals were performing laparoscopic surgery in all patients. Seven hospitals are performing both surgical methods according to surgeon or occasion. Regarding the use of antibiotics in acute appendicitis, three kinds of antibiotics were used in 40 % of total simple appendicitis patients. The results showed the trend of management in acute appendicitis in Korea. Especially it is necessary for the members to discuss the use of antibiotics for prophylaxis in the simple appendicitis.

본 조사 결과는 21개 병원에서 수술 받은 환자 476명의 기록에 대한 전향적인 분석과 23명의 회원에 대한 설문 응답지에 의한 것이다. 미리 환자등록지를 배부하여 6개월 간 전향적으로 기록한 것으로 그 의의가 크다고 할 수 있다. 그러나 전향적 연구계획에 의한 것이 아니므로 통계적인 비교는 시도하지 않았고 급성충수염에 대한 회원들의 전체적인 의견과 성향을 파악하는데 중심을 두었다. 복강경수술은 아직 전체 충수절제술의 30 %에 못 미치고 있으나 설문지에 답한 회원 약 50 %가 복강경 충수절제술을 시행하고 있으며 이 숫자는 계속 증가할 것으로 보인다. 그러나 복강경수술의 결과는 아직 개복수술과 크게 차이가 없는 것으로 보인다. 한편 단순충수염에 대한 예방적 항생제투여 방법과 기간 등에 대한 설문결과에 큰 차이가 있어 이에 대한 학회 중심의 논의가 필요하다고 생각한다.