Table 2 Characteristics of 4256 appendectomy cases included in analysis by type of perioperative prophylaxis
| Â | Cefuroxime plus metronidazole | Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid | No antimicrobial prophylaxis |
|---|---|---|---|
Patient characteristics | Â | Â | Â |
Patients, n | 2348 | 1491 | 417 |
Infections n (%) | 25 (1.1) | 42 (2.8) | 20 (4.8) |
Sex, n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 Male | 1264 (53.8) | 850 (57.0) | 222 (53.2) |
 Female | 1084 (46.2) | 641 (43.0) | 195 (46.8) |
Age in years, median (IQR) | 12 [10, 14] | 12 [10, 14] | 11 [10, 14] |
ASA classification, n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
Class 1/2 | 25 (1.1) | 8 (0.5) | 3 (0.7) |
Class 3/4/5 | 2323 (98.9) | 1483 (99.5) | 414 (99.3) |
Hospital characteristics | Â | Â | Â |
Hospital size, n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 ≤ 200 beds | 1158 (49.3) | 560 (37.6) | 225 (54.0) |
 200–499 beds | 439 (18.7) | 514 (34.5) | 138 (33.1) |
 ≥ 500 beds | 751 (32.0) | 417 (28.0) | 54 (12.9) |
Procedure characteristics | Â | Â | Â |
Type of surgical approach n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 Open | 239 (10.2) | 92 (6.2) | 40 (9.6) |
 Laparoscopic | 2109 (89.8) | 1399 (93.8) | 377 (90.4) |
Duration of surgery in minutes, median (IQR) | 56 [44, 72] | 49 [39, 63] | 53 [38, 65] |
Duration of surgery > 75th centile, n (%) | 966 (41.1) | 400 (26.8) | 143 (34.3) |
Timing of administration of first prophylaxis prior to incision in minutes, median (IQR) | − 21 [− 35, − 12] | − 22 [− 73, − 10] | – |