An Observation Study to Assess the Clinico-Etiological Profile and Outcome of Acute Appendicitis.

Abstract

Aim: Assessment of clinic-etiologic profile and outcome of acute appendicitis.

Material and methods: This prospective observational study was done in the department of surgery, Safdarjung hospital, New Delhi, between January 2019 to January 2021. 64 cases of acute appendicitis were included in this study. Cases were analyzed as per age, sex, symptoms, signs, ultrasound findings, complication, duration of the hospital stay and outcome. Complete blood count and other routine blood tests were done. Ultrasonography was the imaging modality used for diagnosis.

Results: In the present study, the maximum number of cases (71.87%) was male and 28.13% were female. The maximum number of cases [n=30] belonged to the age group of 20-29 years. Symptom such as pain in the abdomen was present in all cases; this was followed by nausea and vomiting, which was seen in 90% of cases. Tenderness over MC Burney’s point was present in all cases. The next common sign was rebound tenderness which was seen in 93.75% of the cases, which is suggestive of the presence of an inflamed appendix in the pelvis. The complete blood count parameters were normal except for the leucocyte count, which was raised in 92% of the cases. In our study, thickening of the wall of the appendix was the commonest finding, seen in all thirty cases. Complications were seen in 4 cases. In most of the cases, 95.31% [n=61] were treated with surgical appendectomy. Three cases [4.69%] had appendicular mass, which was managed conservatively on the basis of the ochsner Sherren regimen.

Conclusion: Acute appendicitis is one of the leading causes of surgical acute abdomen worldwide. Emergency appendectomy is considered as the treatment of choice, but conservative management also has a role.

Keywords: Acute appendicitis, ultrasonography, treatment.