A new study has found that antibiotics alone can help in treating children with appendicitis.

Dr. Peter Minneci and Dr. Katherine Deans, co-directors of the Center for Surgical Outcomes Research at The Research Institute, part of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, deserve credit for this breakthrough research in the field of medical science. According to researchers, the antibiotics alone can be a safe and effective alternative to surgery for children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis.

For the study, antibiotics were given to patients with appendicitis and who were to undergo surgery the next day. The researchers found that all the patients felt relieved of their condition after receiving antibiotics.

Minneci agreed "Families who choose to treat their child's appendicitis with antibiotics, even those who ended up with an appendectomy because the antibiotics didn't work, have expressed that for them it was worth it to try antibiotics to avoid surgery."

The outcomes for 102 patients aged 7 to 17 were tracked by researchers. All these patients had developed uncomplicated acute appendicitis. Out of total participants, thirty-seven children were given intravenous antibiotics for at least 24 hours and then antibiotics in pill forms for 10 days, while the other 65 had surgery. The researchers were surprised to find out that 95% of the children who were given antibiotics showed recovery within 24 hours and did not require surgery.

After one year, 75% of the patients who received antibiotics did not develop appendicitis again and had not undergone surgery.