Two Different Antibiotics Versus One Antibiotic for Pediatric Perforated Appendicitis

After appendix has been removed for perforated appendicitis, patients will receive postoperative antibiotics. In the last 5 years, the literature has transitioned from a 3 -drug therapy to 2-drug therapy. Now there is a recent literature suggesting a single-drug therapy may be safe and adequate. In fact, using zosyn (piperacillin-tazobactam) as a single-drug therapy, there are additional benefits of simplicity, compliance, and lower infectious complications. Currently surgeons are already using both 2-drug regimen (ceftriaxone/metronidazole) and single-drug regimen (zosyn) interchangeable as both are FDA approved and regulated antibiotics for intra-abdominal infection. There is a clear need to compare outcomes between these two options.