There is significant variation in the management of patients with right iliac fossa (RIF) pain. Whilst laparoscopy has become first line in many units, the 2012 UK National Appendicectomy Audit identified that a third of appendicectomies at that time were being performed using an open approach. The results of this study were widely presented at local units and national meetings as well as being published in several journals.

New guidelines published by the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) in 2016 and the alternative European Association of Endoscopic Surgeons (EAES, 2015) provide an opportunity to close the loop on the 2012 audit and to re-audit the modern management of RIF pain.

The primary aim of this audit is to determine the laparoscopic appendicectomy rate in 2017. The secondary aim is to audit the normal appendicectomy rate. Variation in centres’ case mix may influence the normal appendicectomy rate. Patients can be stratified into low, medium, and high risk for appendicitis using the Alvarado or Appendicitis Inflammatory Response (AIR) scores. Baseline variation will be addressed by adjustment using risk scoring.

• Two data collection periods of two weeks each
• An optional third data collection period
• All surgical trainees welcomes
• This a re-audit and very useful for CVs and interviews

• RIFT Protocol
• RIFT Flowchart (LSRG)