Evaluating Management Strategies for Appendicular Mass: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Conservative Versus Surgical Approaches

Authors

Satheesh Kumar M  1 , Abdul Saleem M  2 , Shahul Hameed  3 , Jamila Hameed  4
Department of Surgery, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Palakkad, 678103, Kerala, India. 1 , Department of Surgery, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Palakkad, 678103, Kerala, India. 2 , Department of Surgery, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Palakkad, 678103, Kerala, India. 3 , Department of Surgery, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Palakkad, 678103, Kerala, India. 4
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Abstract

Background: Acute appendicitis is a frequent emergent situation that necessitates surgery. Complications, including an appendiceal mass, occur in 2-10% of appendicitis cases. Management of appendicular mass remains controversial, from non-operative to operative. Aim and Objective: This meta-analysis and systematic review were intended to determine how well conservative management could match up against early appendicular mass. One of the questions underlying this research was: “Can conservative management offer the same results as surgery with fewer complications and hospitalization?”. Methods: Electronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, and Scopus were searched from 2015-2024 and 1378 studies were retrieved. Thirteen studies were finally included. Results: The overall success rate with conservative management was 90% (95% CI: 87-94) and complications were at a rate of 10% (95% CI: 8-11). However, the complication rate with the surgical approach was 19% (95% CI: 15-22). The recurrence rates for conservative management were 9% (95% CI: 1-17). Conclusion: Conservative treatment of appendicular mass is effective and less complex than early appendectomy indicating that it may be a viable first line of treatment. Standard treatment protocols will need to be established through further high-quality studies.

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Evaluating Management Strategies for Appendicular Mass: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Conservative Versus Surgical Approaches. (2025). Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 278-287. https://doi.org/10.5281/
Review Article

Copyright (c) 2025 Satheesh Kumar M, Abdul Saleem M, Shahul Hameed, Jamila Hameed

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License All articles published in Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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