Willingness to undergo antibiotic treatment of acute appendicitis based on risk of treatment failure.

A randomized survey of 1257 respondents was used to assess willingness to undergo antibiotic treatment of appendicitis with different quoted risks of treatment failure requiring appendicectomy. Overall, 1045 respondents (83.1 per cent) were willing to try antibiotics. Even at a quoted 60 per cent risk of failure, 75 per cent of respondents were willing to attempt antibiotic treatment.