Introduction
Appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in the pediatric age group. Appendectomy is curative and associated with low rates of wound complications. More controversial is the optimal management of appendicitis in children undergoing treatment for malignancy. In these patients, appendectomy is often deferred or delayed due to theoretical concerns for increased risks of wound complications, intra-abdominal abscess and enteric suture-line dehiscence secondary to treatment related leukopenia and immune compromise. Whether these risks are increased, and medical management is superior to appendectomy in children with appendicitis and concomitant cancer diagnosis/treatment is unknown.
In light of these concerns we sought to determine if children undergoing treatment of malignancy had higher odds of developing a mechanical or infectious wound complication following appendectomy compared to children without cancer.