Variability, Outcomes and Cost Associated with the Use of Parenteral Nutrition in Children with Complicated Appendicitis: A Hospital-Level Propensity Matched Analysis

This multi-center retrospective study of 1,073 pediatric patients found that higher parenteral nutrition utilization in complicated appendicitis cases increased 30-day hospital costs by 23% without improving complication rates, surgical site infections, or revisit rates. The findings suggest significant practice variation across hospitals with no measurable clinical benefit from increased PN use.