Safety of In‐Hospital Delay of Appendectomy in Elderly Patients—A Retrospective Analysis of 525 Consecutive Patients Aged 65 and Older Undergoing Surgery for Suspected Appendicitis

This large retrospective analysis showed that it is safe to delay surgery by 12 h in patients aged 65 years and older. Delayed surgery was not associated with a higher rate of perforation or complications after adjusting for risk factors. These results open the possibility of optimizing coagulation or possible comorbidities in elderly patients before surgery or postponing surgery when more critical cases require more urgent treatment. In patients with suspected perforation on imaging, the decision to delay surgery should me made with caution, taking into account the patient's overall presentation, comorbidities, and vital signs.