Postoperative antibiotics are not associated with decreased wound complications among patients undergoing appendectomy for complicated appendicitis.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the role of postoperative antibiotics in reducing complications in patients undergoing appendectomy for complicated appendicitis.

Methods: We performed a 5-year retrospective cohort study of adult patients who underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis. Patients with complicated appendicitis (perforated or gangrenous) were analyzed on the basis of whether they received postoperative antibiotics. Main outcome measures were wound complications, length of stay (LOS), and readmission to hospital.

Results: Of 410 patients with complicated appendicitis, postoperative antibiotics were administered to 274 patients (66.8%). On univariate and multivariate analyses, postoperative antibiotics were not associated with decreased wound complications or readmission, but independently predicted an increased LOS (P = .01).

Conclusions: Among patients with complicated appendicitis, postoperative antibiotics were not associated with a decrease in wound complications but did result in an increased hospital LOS.