1 Baseline Information
1	Your email address
2	Name and Surname
3	In which Country are you practicing?
4	In which Continent are you practicing?
5	Name of your hospital
6	Town
	2. Hospital organisation and screening policies for COVID-19 during 2021
7	How did your hospital change its organization in relation to COVID-19 pandemic in 2021? •My hospital is exclusively dedicated to COVID-19 patients •My hospital has restricted areas dedicated to COVID-19 patients •My hospital does not treat COVID-19 patients
8	Did you routinely screen patients with appendicitis for SARS-CoV-2 infection before surgery in 2021? •Yes, all patients •Only patients with respiratory symptoms or suspect of SARS-CoV-2 infection •No
9	How did you screen patients in 2021? •Chest X-ray •Chest X-ray and serology •Chest X-ray and PCR •Chest CT scan •Chest CT scan and serology •Chest CT scan and PCR •Serology •PCR •Rapid test •No screening
	3. Personal protective equipment PPE against COVID-19 in 2021
10	Which of the following personal protective devices did you use in COVID-19 negative patients in 2021? •No personal protective devices •Face mask (FFP2/FFP3) •N95 face mask •Goggles •Face mask (FFP2/FFP3) and goggles •N95 mask and goggles
11	Which of the following personal protective devices did you use in COVID-19 untested patients in 2021? •No personal protective devices •Face mask (FFP2/FFP3) •N95 Face mask •Goggles •Face mask (FFP2/FFP3) and goggles •N95 mask and goggles
12	Which of the following personal protective devices did you use in COVID-19 positive patients in 2021? •No personal protective devices •Face mask (FFP2/FFP3) •N95 face mask •Goggles •Face mask (FFP2/FFP3) and goggles •N95 mask and goggles
	4. Personal attitude: management of acute appendicitis in 2021
13	Personal attitude: Did you change your attitude in the management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis during 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic? •Yes •Yes, only in COVID + patients •Yes, only in COVID + and untested patients •No
14	Personal attitude: How did you manage uncomplicated (no abscess) acute appendicitis during 2021? •Non-operative management with antibiotics •Case-by-case decision •Straightforward laparoscopic appendectomy •Straightforward open appendectomy
15	Personal attitude: How did you manage complicated (abscess) acute appendicitis during 2021? •Non-operative management with antibiotics •Non-operative management with antibiotics and percutaneous drainage •Straightforward laparoscopic appendectomy •Straightforward open appendectomy
16	Personal attitude: Did you change your attitude in the management of complicated (abscess) acute appendicitis during 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic? •Yes •Only in COVID + patients •No
17	Personal attitude: Did you change the surgical approach (open vs. laparoscopic) to appendectomy due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021? •No •Yes, from laparoscopic to open •Yes, from open to laparoscopic
18	Personal attitude: How did you operate on COVID-19 positive patients with appendicitis in 2021? •Always open surgery, personal preference •Laparoscopic surgery without specific devices for protection and smoke evacuation •Laparoscopic surgery with specific devices for protection and smoke evacuation •I would use laparoscopic, but I do not have devices for pneumoperitoneum/smoke evacuation
19	Personal attitude: How did you operate on COVID-19 untested patients with appendicitis in 2021? •Always open surgery, I prefer •Laparoscopic surgery without specific devices for protection and smoke evacuation •Laparoscopic surgery with specific devices for protection and smoke evacuation •I would use laparoscopic, but I do not have devices for pneumoperitoneum/smoke evacuation
20	Personal attitude: If laparoscopic appendectomy was performed in 2021, did you use any filter system? •Yes •Yes, only in COVID-19 positive patients •Yes, only in COVID-19 positive or untested patients •No
21	Personal attitude: If any evacuation system with filters were used in 2021, which type of device did you employ? •Commercially available •Commercially available with filtration connected to a container with water •Commercially available with filtration connected to a sealed container •Homemade •Homemade with filtration connected to a container with water •Homemade with filtration connected to a sealed container
	5. Acute appendicitis patients presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021
22	Did any patient referred for acute appendicitis test positive for SARS-CoV-2 before surgery at your hospital (percentage) in 2021? •0% •1–5% •6–10% •> 10%
23	Did any COVID-19 negative patient referred for acute appendicitis later test positive for SARS-CoV-2 at your hospital (percentage?) in 2021? •0% •1–5% •6–10% •> 10%
24	How many patients with acute appendicitis have been referred to your hospital during the last month? •< 5 •5–10 •11–20 •> 20
25	In percentage, in how many patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis (no abscess) a non-operative management with antibiotics is currently used at your hospital? •≤ 25% •26–50% •51–75% •76–100%
26	In percentage, how many patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis (no abscess) treated conservatively with antibiotics are currently sent home and followed-up at the outpatient clinic at your hospital? •≤ 25% •26–50% •51–75% •76–100%
27	In percentage, how many patients with complicated acute appendicitis (with abscess) currently undergo conservative treatment with antibiotics ± percutaneous drainage at your hospital? •≤ 25% •26–50% •51–75% •76–100%
28	In percentage, how many patients with acute appendicitis treated with surgery currently undergo open appendectomy at your hospital? • ≤ 25% •26–50% •51–75% •76–100%
29	In percentage, in how many patients with acute appendicitis treated with surgery did you use an endostapler to secure the appendiceal stump in 2021? •≤ 25% •26–50% •51–75% •76–100%
30	In percentage, in how many patients with acute appendicitis treated with surgery did you use a High-Energy Device to dissect the mesoappendix in 2021? •≤ 25% •26–50% •51–75% •76–100%
	6. Impact of guidelines and scientific divulgation on the daily clinical practice for patients with acute appendicitis during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021
31	Your current surgical practice has been most likely influenced by •A guideline (please, specify which, with information on a publication from it, if available) •A scientific article (please, specify which one)
32	Have you changed your management strategies in patients with acute appendicitis following a specific guideline/scientific article about surgical management during the COVID-19 pandemic? •I would have, but I did not have resources (staff, equipment, etc.) •Only in part, because of resources restrictions •Only in part, because I or my institution did not agree with published recommendations •Yes, completely adhering to published recommendations
33	How many patients with acute appendicitis referred to your hospital during the last month completed the full vaccination against SARS-CoV-2? •≤ 25% •26–50% •51–75% •76–100%
34	How many surgeons are there in your department who have completed the full vaccination against SARS-CoV-2? •≤ 25% •26–50% •51–75% •76–100%
35	Do you implement any individualized risk-prediction model for COVID-19 in your daily clinical practice? •Yes (Describe) •No
36	Did you receive any local and/or national plan from your hospital for the management of COVID-19 suspected/positive patients? •Yes •No