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Which antibiotic cocktail gets kids home faster after a burst appendix?

NCT ID NCT07869095

Disease control Sponsor: McMaster Children's Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Oct 09, 2026 · Last updated Oct 09, 2026

Summary

When a child's appendix bursts, surgeons remove it and then give antibiotics to clear infection. Doctors do not know which of two common antibiotic combinations works best. This trial randomly assigns 180 children to receive either piperacillin/tazobactam or ceftriaxone plus metronidazole after laparoscopic surgery. Researchers track hospital stay length, infections, readmissions, and recovery over 30 days to see which approach helps children heal faster.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
piperacillin/tazobactam compared with ceftriaxone plus metronidazole
What this could lead to
If one regimen works better, it could become the standard antibiotic choice for children recovering from perforated appendicitis surgery and help limit unnecessary antibiotic use.
What could go wrong
Both regimens are already used in practice, so the trial may find little difference between them. Results from 180 children at several hospitals may not apply to every child, and antibiotic allergies or kidney problems can rule out some patients.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 3

Large-scale testing in a bigger group. Usually the last step before a treatment can be approved.

Participants

About 180 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Apr 2027

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2031

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

0 weeks to 17 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Laparoscopic appendectomy * Perforated appendicitis confirmed intra-operatively (i.e., visible hole in appendix, fecalith found in peritoneal cavity, intra-abdominal abscess, and/or purulent fluid in peritoneal cavity) Exclusion Criteria: * Non-operative treatment (e.g., due to abscess) * Interval laparoscopic appendectomy * Conversion to open procedure * Non-perforated appendicitis * Confirmed or suspected allergy to penicillins or cephalosporins * Renal impairment

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

appendicitis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Antibiotic Appendectomy, laparoscopic Appendicitis perforated Pediatric Randomized controlled trial

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  2. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

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