Review of Acute Appendicitis in Tertiary Care Unit, Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

This study has been performed to highlight the prevalence of acute appendicitis in patients of different gender and age group in DHQ teaching hospital Gujranwala in Pakistan as a Retrospective study. Out of a total of 146 patients, there were 84 males and 62 females. In our study 15 (10.3%) had gangrenous appendix, while 17 (11.6%) patients had perforated appendix with a few having both gangrenous as well as perforated appendix, and 49 (33.6%) had acutely inflamed appendix, similar to what is found in the literature, Our management consisted of surgery as soon as diagnosis was confirmed and the patient was considered fit for general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia. The complication rate was higher in patients with perforated appendix and co-morbid conditions. While acute appendicitis is primarily a disease of the all age groups with only approximately 40% of cases occurring after the age of 20. The incidence of appendicitis in older patients seems to be increasing with an increase in life expectancy. Less than half of the elderly patients with acute appendicitis present with the classical signs and symptoms including nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and migrating pain.14 Perforated appendicitis and sepsis is the main cause of undesirable outcomes.