Safety of In‐Hospital Delay of Appendectomy in Elderly Patients—A Retrospective Analysis of 525 Consecutive Patients Aged 65 and Older Undergoing Surgery for Suspected Appendicitis

Background Recent retrospective and prospective studies have demonstrated the safety of delayed surgery for acute appendicitis. However, evidence regarding delayed surgery in elderly patients is limited, and it is unclear whether it is safe to delay appendectomy in this patient population. Methods The outcomes of patients aged 65 years and older who underwent appendectomy for suspected appendicitis at a single institution were reviewed and analyzed. The outcomes investigated were perforation rate and complication rate. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for risk factors and calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for in‐hospital delay. Results A total of 525 patients aged 65 years and older underwent appendectomy for suspected appendicitis. The perforation rate was 44.4% (233 of 525) and the complication rate was 25.1%. The multivariable analysis showed no association between a waiting time of more than 12 h compared to less than 12 h and perforation rate (aOR 0.96; 95% CI 0.55–1.70; p = 0.90) or complication rate (aOR 0.93; 95% CI 0.49–1.76; p = 0.83). A risk factor for perforation in the multivariable analysis was an elevated CRP level ≥ 50 mg/L and risk factors for complications were suspected perforation on preoperative imaging ( p = 0.004), anticoagulant use ( p = 0.04), and CRP levels ≥ 150 mg/L ( p < 0.001). Conclusion This large retrospective analysis showed that it is safe to delay surgery by 12 h in patients aged 65 years and older. Delayed surgery was not associated with a higher rate of perforation or complications after adjusting for risk factors. These results open the possibility of optimizing coagulation or possible comorbidities in elderly patients before surgery or postponing surgery when more critical cases require more urgent treatment. In patients with suspected perforation on imaging, the decision to delay surgery should me made with caution, taking into account the patient's overall presentation, comorbidities, and vital signs.