Prognostic Factors Associated with Clinical and Economic Outcomes of Appendectomies in Children: A Multilevel Analysis in a National Retrospective Cohort Study.

National cohort study of 21,674 pediatric appendectomies in Colombia identifies significant geographic and insurer-based disparities in clinical outcomes and costs. Key prognostic factors include patient age, comorbidities, surgical approach, and peritoneal drainage, with median costs of $394 USD and notable variation in ICU admission and readmission rates across regions.