Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy: current and the future.

This article presents an overview of endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT), an innovative and minimally invasive treatment for appendicitis with an appendix-preserving manner. Since its initial application in 2009, ERAT has gained significant popularity in China, due to its rapid recovery and minimal risk of complications. The ERAT procedures comprise several steps, including appendiceal orifice access and intubation, appendiceal lumen imaging, decompression and irrigation, fecalith removal, and stenting. ERAT has been used in various forms of complicated appendicitis, such as in pregnant women and children, with continuous improvements in both technique and safety. It has the potential to become the preferred diagnostic and treatment method for appendicitis. Until 2023, over 10,000 ERAT procedures have been successfully conducted in China, and the technique has gained more attention worldwide. However, challenges remain, including training, standardization of ERAT practice, research and technology improvement, enhancing public awareness, and fostering international collaboration. In summary, ERAT can be the standard treatment for appendicitis treatment, which represents a paradigm shift in the conventional clinical practice.

Successful Endoscopic Retrograde Appendicitis Therapy Following a Recent ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common abdominal surgical emergencies. A laparoscopic or open appendectomy has traditionally been the gold standard. Antibiotic therapy has recently been found to be noninferior. The treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis remains a challenge, especially in the presence of an appendicolith. We present a case of a 59-year-old man with recent ST-elevation myocardial infarction who underwent successful endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy.

Endoscopic Retrograde Appendicitis Therapy in Subacute Appendicitis With Abscess: A Comprehensive Case Study and Innovative Insights.

This case report explores the feasibility and efficacy of endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) in treating a 42-year-old female with subacute appendicitis complicated by an abscess. The patient, initially presenting with abdominal pain, underwent an endoscopic intervention involving drainage, irrigation, and stent placement in the appendix. The study discusses the patient's successful outcome, emphasizing the role of ERAT in managing complicated appendicitis with abscesses. The report outlines the case presentation with the initial misdiagnosis of cecal intussusception. The endoscopic procedure involved identifying a partially prolapsed appendix, spontaneous drainage of purulent discharge, and subsequent stent placement to facilitate drainage while awaiting definitive surgery. The patient's positive response to ERAT was marked by pain reduction and a follow-up CT scan confirming the absence of an abscess and a normal appendix. The case report asserts that ERAT emerges as a promising alternative to immediate appendectomy for patients with subacute appendicitis complicated by abscesses, enhancing symptom relief and reducing major adverse events.

Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis treatment for periappendiceal abscess: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal emergency. At present, the main treatments for periappendiceal abscess include antibiotics and surgery. However, the complications and mortality of emergency surgery are high. The preferred therapy is conservative treatment with antibiotics first, ultrasound-guided puncture drainage or surgical treatment is followed when necessary. Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) for acute uncomplicated appendicitis have been proved clinically effective, but it is rarely used in periappendiceal abscess. CASE SUMMARY: We report a patient admitted to hospital because of "right lower abdominal pain for six days". The computerized tomography (CT) of patient showed that appendicitis with fecaliths and abscess in the pelvis. The patient was treated by CT-guided puncture and drainage of abdominal abscess combined with ERAT to remove appendiceal fecaliths, irrigation and stent placement. CONCLUSION: The patient did not receive surgery because of impoverished family. Abdominal pain did not recur during the follow-up period. This case confirms the value of ERAT in the treatment of periappendiceal abscess.

Modified endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy vs. laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated acute appendicitis in children.

OBJECTIVES: Modified endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (mERAT) has been proposed as an alternative to laparoscopic appendectomy for the treatment of appendicitis. However, data from children in large samples are lacking. The aim of this article is to evaluate the efficacy between mERAT and laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) in children with uncomplicated appendicitis. METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed 594 patients with suspected uncomplicated appendicitis from October 2018 to May 2021. A pool of 294 consecutive patients who met the inclusion criteria were ultimately enrolled in this study (228 and 66 patients in mERAT and LA, respectively). Given the differences in baseline clinical data (gender, age), the regression equation including differences in clinical baseline, grouping factor, and white blood cell count was established to address the influence of potential confounding factors. RESULT: The initial success rate of mERAT management was 96.9%, and the recurrence rate was 6.9% in the mERAT group and 1.7% in the LA group within 1 year, which was no significant difference. But the mERAT group had a lower rate of adverse events. Finally, those results indicated that the treatment modalities, LA or mERAT, had no significant effect on initial success rate (P = 0.99) or recurrence rate (P = 0.17) within 1 year, but a significant effect on the adverse events rate during hospitalization (P = 0.01) in the multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Among children with uncomplicated appendicitis, an initial mERAT management strategy had a success rate of 96.9%, which was similar to the LA group at 1 year. This follow-up supports the feasibility of mERAT alone as an alternative to surgery for uncomplicated appendicitis.

Pseudo-submucosal tumor in the colon: seeing is believing

A 65-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with complaints of lower abdominal pain. Her physical examination was unremarkable. The results of routine laboratory testing were within the normal limits. In addition, abdominal CT was normal. Colonoscopy showed a cecum submucosal tumor with a pale yellow surface. Endoscopic ultrasound revealed homogeneous hypoechoic lesions originated from submucosal layer. ESD was subsequently performed to remove the submucosal lesion. During the ESD procedure, fecal outflowed from appendix opening . Yellow fecal-like material was visible after submucosal incision. The trap electrocut surface uplift showed more fecal attachment on the lamina propria surface, and myolayer integrity after clean the fecal (Fig1c), The final pathology of the surface bulge suggested hyperplasia (Fig1d). Patients were discharged with relieved lower abdominal pain. The final diagnosis was submucosal fecalith mimicking a submucosal tumor, eventually leads to chronic appendicitis. Common causes of cecal submucosal tumor include neuroendocrine tumors, lipomas, etc. There was few report about fecalith mimicking a submucosal tumor. ERTA is currently an effective endoscopic method for treating appendicitis combined with fecalith blockage. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a case of cecum submucosal fecalith mimicking a submucosal tumor and was successfully removed using endoscopy. (AU)

First human case report of Crohn's disease with coexistent acute appendicitis treated by endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy.

Background: The coexistence of Crohn's disease (CD) and acute appendicitis (AA) is rare. In this situation, therapeutic experience is lacking and the strategy is paradoxical and intractable. Appendectomy is the gold standard for the treatment of AA whereas a nonsurgical approach is recommended for CD. Case summary: A 17-year-old boy was hospitalized for right lower abdominal pain with fever of 3 days. He had the CD for 8 years. Two years ago, he underwent surgery for anal fistula with the complication of CD. His temperature was elevated at 38.3°C at admission. On physical examination, there was McBurney tenderness with mild rebound tenderness. Abdominal ultrasonography showed that the appendix was notably enlarged and dilated at 6.34 cm long and 2.76 cm wide. These findings were suggestive of uncomplicated AA in this patient with active CD. Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) was performed. The patient had complete pain relief immediately after the procedure without tenderness in the right lower abdomen. During 18 mo follow-up, he had no more attacks in his right lower abdomen. Conclusion: ERAT was effective and safe in a CD patient with coexisting AA. Such cases can avoid surgery and its-related complications.

Value of biliopancreatic-duct-imaging-system-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy for children with acute appendicitis (with video) / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic and therapeutic value of one-time biliopancreatic-duct-imaging-system (eyeMax)-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) for children.Methods:A total of 11 children who were diagnosed as having uncomplicated acute appendicitis by imaging in Xi′an Children′s Hospital from August to November 2022 were enrolled. All patients received subscope-assisted ERAT. Subscope was intubated into the appendix cavity to observe the mucosa directly. Appendicitis was treated through cleansing, fecalith extraction, stent drainage. The clinical manifestations under subscope were recorded, as well as the treatment success rate, intubation success rate, the effective rate, complication incidence during and after the operation.Results:The age of 11 children was 7.93±2.67 years old. Appendix intubation was successful in all patients. Congestion and swelling of the mucosa in appendiceal orifice and appendix cavity were seen under the subscope in 11 children. There were 6 cases with appendiceal fecaliths, 8 cases with pus and 6 cases with luminal distortion or stenosis. Perforation was observed in 1 case during the operation and no other complication occurred. All patients were treated under subscope, including flushing appendiceal cavity (11 cases), fecalith extraction with extraction basket (3 cases), and appendiceal drainage with stenting (2 cases). The symptoms and signs were relieved after the operation, and the effective rate within 48 hours was 10/11. There were no procedure-related complications or recurrence during postoperative follow-up for 1 week to 4 months.Conclusion:Acute appendicitis could be diagnosed by observing the appendix cavity directly under one-time biliopancreatic-duct-imaging-system-assisted ERAT, and also could be treated with the system, where appendix could be preserved and radiation damage could be avoided with safety and effectiveness.

Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) vs appendectomy for acute uncomplicated appendicitis: A prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and feasibility of endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) with appendectomy for treating acute uncomplicated appendicitis. METHODS: This was a prospective multicenter randomized trial in which consecutive patients were randomized at a ratio of 1:1 to receive either ERAT or appendectomy. The outcomes included technical success rate, procedure time, postoperative pain relief, postoperative analgesic use, time to soft diet intake, length of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications, and recurrence rate. RESULTS: From August 2013 to December 2015, 110 patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis were randomized to ERAT or appendectomy. The technical success rate was 94.55% for ERAT compared with 100% for appendectomy. Recurrence of appendicitis within 3-year follow-up occurred in 8 patients following ERAT. Postoperative abdominal pain was less frequent with ERAT than with appendectomy (21.15% [11/52] vs 87.27% [48/55], P < 0.001). Soft diet intake begun earlier after ERAT than appendectomy (6 h vs 48 h, P < 0.001), and post-procedure hospital stay was shorter (3 days vs 5 days, P < 0.001), as was the use of analgesics postoperatively (9.09% vs 49.09%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: ERAT is a feasible, safe, and effective alternative approach for the management of acute uncomplicated appendicitis. Compared with appendectomy, advantages of ERAT include no skin wound, organ preservation, reduced postoperative pain, early food intake, quick recovery, fewer postoperative complications, and shorter post-procedure hospitalization. The unsolved problem related to ERAT is the recurrence of appendicitis.

Is it time for global adoption of endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy of acute appendicitis?

Acute appendicitis is a common abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. Abraham Groves performed the first documented open appendectomy in 1883. Although appendectomy is still the most effective treatment in cases of acute appendicitis, it causes a range of complications and carries the risk of negative appendectomy. In the awake of covid-19, the latest guidelines recommend antibiotic therapy as an acceptable first line treatment for acute appendicitis. However, patients treated with antibiotics have a recurrence risk of up to 30% at 1 year. Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) has emerged as promising non-invasive treatment modality for acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AUA) which involves cannulation, appedicography, appendiceal stone extraction, appendiceal lumen irrigation, and stent insertion. ERAT aims to relieve the cause of appendicitis (e.g., obstruction or stenosis of the appendiceal lumen) and thus effectively prevent the recurrence of appendicitis. In addition, it can make a definitive diagnosis of acute appendicitis during endoscopic retrograde appendicography. Studies have shown that 93.8 to 95% of AUA patients did not have a recurrence following ERAT. In this study, we aim to summarize the current body of evidence on ERAT to situate it alongside currently established therapies for acute appendicitis, in particular, AUA.

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OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy in children with appendix-related chronic abdominal pain. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 30 children with the chief complaint of chronic abdominal pain who were admitted from August 2019 to May 2021. All the children were found to have inflammation of the appendix or intracavitary stool and fecalith by ultrasound and underwent ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy. The medical data for analysis included clinical manifestations, endoscopic findings, white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, length of hospital stay, and cure rate. RESULTS: Among the 30 children with chronic abdominal pain, there were 13 boys (43%) and 17 girls (57%), with a mean age of (9±3) years (range 3-15 years) at diagnosis. The median duration of the disease was 12 months, and the median length of hospital stay was 3 days. The children had a median white blood cell count of 6.7×109/L and a neutrophil percentage of 50%±13%. Fecalith and a large amount of feces were flushed out of the appendix cavity for 21 children (70%) during surgery. The follow-up rate was 97% (29/30), and the median follow-up time was 11 months (range 5-26 months). Of the 29 children, abdominal pain completely disappeared in 27 children (93%). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy is effective in children with chronic abdominal pain caused by feces or fecalith in the appendix cavity.

Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy versus laparoscopic appendectomy versus open appendectomy for acute appendicitis: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of studies have shown the merits of endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) in diagnosing and treating acute uncomplicated appendicitis. However, no related prospective controlled studies have been reported yet. Our aim is to assess the feasibility and safety of ERAT in the treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis. METHODS: In this open-label, randomized trial, participants were randomly allocated to the ERAT group, laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) group and open appendectomy (OA) group. The primary outcome was the clinical success rate of the treatment. Intention-to-treat analysis was used in the study. RESULTS: The study comprised of 99 patients, with 33 participants in each group. The clinical success rate was 87.88% (29/33), 96.97% (32/33) and 100% (33/33) in the ERAT, LA and OA group, respectively. In the ERAT group, 4 patients failed ERAT due to difficult cannulation. In LA group, 1 patient failed because of abdominal adhesion. There were no significant differences among the three treatment groups regarding the clinical success rate (P = 0.123). The median duration of follow-up was 22 months. There were no significant differences (P = 0.693) among the three groups in terms of adverse events and the final crossover rate of ERAT to surgery was 21.21% (7/33). CONCLUSION: ERAT can serve as an alternative and efficient method to treat acute uncomplicated appendicitis. Trial registration The study is registered with the WHO Primary Registry-Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900025812).

Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy in the management of chronic fecalith appendicitis in a patient with ulcerative colitis: The first human case report.

To assess the effectiveness of endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) as a new technique and method for chronic fecalith appendicitis complicated by active ulcerative colitis. A 46-year-old male patient was admitted with right iliac fossa pain, tenderness, and raised inflammatory markers. A computed tomography (CT) scan of his abdomen confirmed a dilated appendix, which is considered chronic fecalith appendicitis combined with active ulcerative colitis. He was treated with an endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy procedure. The patient recovered well after the ERAT procedure and was discharged from the hospital in two days. On follow-up one year later, there was no recurrence of pain in his abdomen. In conclusion, ERAT could be seen as a different approach and be favored as a safer and more effective option in treating UC patients with appendicitis, especially those who are later in the course of the disease. Because of the ERAT procedure, such cases can avoid surgery and surgery-related complications. More research and issues must be addressed to demonstrate the efficacy and effectiveness of ERAT in appendicitis combined with UC.

Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy for management of acute appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the feasibility of endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) for the treatment of acute appendicitis. METHODS: There were 210 patients included who were admitted to our hospital from January 2017 to October 2019 with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. According to the method of treatment, patients were stratified into the ERAT group, laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) group, or open appendectomy (OA) group for comparison of perioperative information extracted from the medical records of the patients. RESULTS: The operations were successfully completed in all patients. The length of operation in the ERAT group (median: 48 min, range: 34-78 min) was significantly shorter compared to the LA group (median: 67 min, range: 47-90 min) or OA group (median: 85 min, range: 58-120 min). Postoperatively, the length of the hospital stay, the amount of time spent bedridden following surgery, surgery-related complications, and in-patient expenses were all significantly less than those in both the LA and OA groups (all p < 0.05). Moreover, the recurrence rate of appendicitis after ERAT was 2.86% during the first six months of postoperative follow-up. Thirteen patients in the ERAT group were diagnosed with appendicular abscesses, all of which successfully proceeded by colonoscopically incising the most protruding or fluctuating place around the appendix opening without procedure-related complications during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: ERAT is a safe and effective endoscopic treatment method for acute appendicitis and abscesses of the appendix. The advantages include reduced trauma, faster recovery times, and lower costs in comparison with either OA or LA procedures. ERAT with internal incision and drainage can be safely performed with immediate effect, especially in patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis accompanied by either fecal stones or stenosis of the appendix cavity, or an abscess within the appendix cavity.

Modified endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy for appendicitis with intussusception in children: a primary study (with video) / 中华消化内镜杂志

To investigate the efficacy and safety of modified endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) in children with acute uncomplicated appendicitis complicated with intussusception. Data of 6 patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis complicated with intussusception who received modified ERAT were collected from October 2018 to February 2020 in Pediatrics Department of Tangdu Hospital. The reduction rate of intussusception, the success rate of ERAT appendiceal intubation and endoscopic treatment, the remission time of clinical symptoms, the time of white blood cells return to normal, the length of hospital stay, complications and recurrence were summarized. All the 6 patients were confirmed to be acute uncomplicated appendicitis combined with ileocecal intussusceptions under colonoscopy. Endoscopic intussusception reduction and ERAT were performed successfully. The mean time of disappearance of abdominal tenderness was 1.3 days after the therapy, and the time of white blood cells return to normal was 1 day after surgery. The endoscopic treatment were all successful and the length of hospital stay was 3-6 days. No complications or recurrence of intussusception and appendicitis occurred during the follow-up period of 6-12 months. Modified ERAT can effectively, safely and minimally invitingly treat acute uncomplicated appendicitis with intussusception in children on the basis of definite diagnosis.

Application of ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy in children with appendix-related chronic abdominal pain / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy in children with appendix-related chronic abdominal pain.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 30 children with the chief complaint of chronic abdominal pain who were admitted from August 2019 to May 2021. All the children were found to have inflammation of the appendix or intracavitary stool and fecalith by ultrasound and underwent ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy. The medical data for analysis included clinical manifestations, endoscopic findings, white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, length of hospital stay, and cure rate.@*RESULTS@#Among the 30 children with chronic abdominal pain, there were 13 boys (43%) and 17 girls (57%), with a mean age of (9±3) years (range 3-15 years) at diagnosis. The median duration of the disease was 12 months, and the median length of hospital stay was 3 days. The children had a median white blood cell count of 6.7×109/L and a neutrophil percentage of 50%±13%. Fecalith and a large amount of feces were flushed out of the appendix cavity for 21 children (70%) during surgery. The follow-up rate was 97% (29/30), and the median follow-up time was 11 months (range 5-26 months). Of the 29 children, abdominal pain completely disappeared in 27 children (93%).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy is effective in children with chronic abdominal pain caused by feces or fecalith in the appendix cavity.

Is endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy a better modality for acute uncomplicated appendicitis? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies had shown endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) is an effective treatment for acute appendicitis. However, different studies reported conflicting outcomes regarding the effectiveness of ERAT in comparison with laparoscopic appendectomy (LA). AIM: To compare the effectiveness of ERAT with LA. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and retrospective studies of ERAT for acute uncomplicated appendicitis were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the WanFang Database, and Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP) from the establishment date to March 1 2021. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I-squared statistic. Pooled odds ratios (OR), weighted mean difference (WMD), and standard mean difference (SMD), with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated through either fixed-effects or random-effects model. Sensitivity analysis was also performed. Publication bias was tested by Egger's test, and Begg's test. The quality of included RCT were evaluated by the Jadad scale, while Newcastle-Ottawa scale is adopted for assessing the methodological quality of case-control studies. All statistical analysis was performed using Stata 15.1 statistical software. All statistical analysis was performed using Stata 15.1 statistical software. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021243955. RESULTS: After screening, 10 RCTs and 2 case-control studies were included in the current systematic review. Firstly, the length of hospitalizations [WMD = -1.15, 95%CI: -1.99, -0.31; P = 0.007] was shorter than LA group. Secondly, the level of post-operative CRP [WMD = -10.06, 95%CI: (-17.39, -2.73); P = 0.007], TNF-α [WMD = -7.70, 95%CI: (-8.47, -6.93); P < 0.001], and IL-6 Levels [WMD = -9.78, 95%CI: (-10.69, -8.88); P < 0.001; P < 0.001] in ERAT group was significantly lower than LA group. Thirdly, ERAT group had a lower incidence of intestinal obstruction than LA group. [OR = 0.19, 95%CI: (0.05, 0.79); P = 0.020]. Moreover, the quality of 10 RCTs were low with 0-3 Jadad scores, while the methodological quality of two case-control studies were fair with a score of 2 (each). CONCLUSION: Compared with LA, ERAT reduces operation time, the level of postoperative inflammation, and results in fewer complications and shorter recovery time, with preserving the appendix and its immune and biological functions.

Long-term effects of appendectomy in humans: is it the optimal management of appendicitis?

INTRODUCTION: Appendectomy remains the gold standard for treating uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis. However, the vermiform appendix may play a significant role in the immune system (secondary immune function) and maintain a reservoir of the normal microbiome for the human body. The aim of this study was to summarize the long-term effects after appendectomy and discuss whether appendectomy is suitable for all appendicitis patients. AREAS COVERED: A comprehensive and unbiased literature search was performed in PubMed. The terms 'appendix,' 'appendicitis,' 'appendectomy,' and 'endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy' were searched in the title and/or abstract. This review summarizes the long-term effects of appendectomy on some diseases in humans and describes three methods including appendectomy, medical treatment, and an 'organ-sparing' technique, named endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) to treat appendicitis. EXPERT OPINION: Appendectomy remains the first-line therapy for appendicitis. The patient's problem is appendix, not appendicitis. If we treat appendicitis, the problem should be resolved. During COVID-19, an initial antibiotic treatment of mild appendicitis represents a promising strategy. For patients who are worried about the long-term adverse effect after appendectomy and have a strong desire to preserve the appendix and are aware of the risk of appendicitis recurrence, medical treatment, or ERAT could be proposed.

The modified endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy versus antibiotic therapy alone for acute uncomplicated appendicitis in children.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) is an emerging endoscopic treatment modality for acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AUA) supported by several case series. However, to date, systematic studies have not been conducted in children and the prospective comparative data are lacking. Moreover, due to a concern for future malignancy risk in children from ionizing radiation, we used contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) instead of endoscopic retrograde appendiceal radiography (ERAR). Therefore, we conducted a prospective, randomized control clinical trial to compare the modified ERAT (mERAT) to antibiotic therapy in children with AUA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility and of mERAT in the treatment of hospitalized children with AUA. METHODS: Children with AUA, confirmed by ultrasonography and or abdominal computed tomography, were consecutively enrolled from October 2018 to February, 2020. They were randomly assigned to receive mERAT or routine antibiotic treatment. Patients were followed until May, 2020. Th primary outcome variable was the duration of relief of the abdominal pain after treatment. We collected patient's demographics, ultrasonic imaging findings, colonoscopy findings, and treatment outcomes of the mERAT and adverse even associated with mERAT. RESULTS: A total of 83 children were enrolled. 36 were randomized to mERAT and 47 to antibiotics treatment. All children in the mERAT group had endoscopic confirmed acute uncomplicated appendicitis, and there were no significant complications. However, 9 of patients in antibiotic group were poor responsive to treatment and switched to mERAT. The overall success rate of treatment with mERAT (100%) was significantly higher than that of antibiotics (80.9%) (P = 0.004). The median time to discharge was significantly shorter in mERAT group than in antibiotics treatment group [6.0 ± 1.76 days] (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: mERAT provide a new alternative therapeutic option for childhood with AUA, especially for families who are reluctant to undergo an appendectomy.