Clinical features and preventability of delayed diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis.
Michelson KA, Reeves SD, Grubenhoff JA, et al. Clinical features and preventability of delayed diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(8):e2122248. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.22248.
Diagnostic errors, including delayed diagnoses, continue to be a patient safety concern. This case-control study of children treated at five pediatric emergency departments explored the preventability of delayed diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis and associated outcomes. Researchers estimated that 23% of delayed diagnosis cases were likely to be preventable and that delayed diagnosis led to longer hospital length of stay, higher perforation rates, and additional surgical procedures.