Table 2.

Patient presentation and management of acute appendicitis before and during COVID‐19 pandemic

	% of respondents
	Before COVID‐19	During COVID‐19	P *
How do you manage uncomplicated acute appendicitis (no abscess)?			< 0·001
Non‐operative management with antibiotics	6·6	23·7
Decision by individual patient	29·0	38·8
Straightforward laparoscopic appendicectomy	57·2	22·5
Straightforward open appendicectomy	7·2	15·0
How do you manage complicated acute appendicitis (abscess)?			< 0·001
Non‐operative management with antibiotics	2·4	5·3
Non‐operative management with antibiotics and percutaneous drainage	21·1	32·9
Straightforward laparoscopic appendicectomy	62·5	33·7
Straightforward open appendicectomy	14·0	28·1
How many patients with acute appendicitis are referred to your hospital per month?			< 0·001
< 5	13·3	39·3
5–9	26·9	33·5
10–20	27·0	16·7
> 20	32·8	10·5
In what percentage of patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis (no abscess) is non‐operative management with antibiotics used at your hospital?			< 0·001
≤ 25	79·3	60·1
26–50	11·8	16·2
51–75	6·6	11·6
76–100	2·3	12·1
What percentage of patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis (no abscess) treated conservatively with antibiotics are sent home and followed up at the outpatient clinic at your hospital?			< 0·001
≤ 25	78·2	67·5
26–50	10·9	12·9
51–75	5·7	9·8
76–100	5·2	9·8
What percentage of patients with complicated acute appendicitis (abscess) undergo conservative treatment with antibiotics +/– percutaneous drainage at your hospital?			0·001
≤ 25	77·3	68·4
26–50	10·8	12·5
51–75	5·6	9·3
76–100	6·3	9·8
What percentage of patients with acute appendicitis treated with surgery undergo open appendicectomy at your hospital?			< 0·001
≤ 25	73·6	53·8
26–50	8·7	13·7
51–75	8·6	9·8
76–100	9·1	22·7

^*χ² test.