Effectiveness of a Clinical Pathway for Pediatric Complex Appendicitis based on Antibiotic Stewardship Principles

PURPOSE: We evaluated outcomes and resource utilization after implementing a novel complex appendicitis (CA) pathway limiting postoperative antibiotic duration based on clinical parameters only. METHODS: Children < 18 years with an intraoperative diagnosis of CA (gangrenous, perforated, or abscess) were treated with intravenous antibiotics postoperatively until clinical criteria were met, without utilizing complete blood counts or oral antibiotics at …