Appendectomy remains the first-line therapy for acute appendicitis, but treatment with antibiotics rather than surgery is appropriate in selected patients with uncomplicated appendicitis. JAMA Associate Editor Anthony Charles, MD, MPH, from UNC School of Medicine summarizes this and other aspects of acute appendicitis in adults along with author Theodore N. Pappas, MD, from Duke University Medical Center. Related Content: Diagnosis and Management of Acute Appendicitis in Adults Acute Appendicitis