Adnan Y Al-adab; Jasim M Ayuib
Abstract
Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal emergency. In 150 patients with acute
appendicitis treated by appendectomy in AL-Sader Teaching Hospital in Basrah, a prospective
study was made to study the delay prior to admission to the hospital and subsequent delay
before induction of anesthesia. ...
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Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal emergency. In 150 patients with acute
appendicitis treated by appendectomy in AL-Sader Teaching Hospital in Basrah, a prospective
study was made to study the delay prior to admission to the hospital and subsequent delay
before induction of anesthesia.
In 67 (44.66 %) patients, the appendix was perforated or gangrenous and in 83 (55.34%)
patients it was acutely inflamed. The median duration of abdominal pain to the induction of
anesthesia was 18 hours ranged 3-69 hours for the acutely inflamed group and 35 hours ranged
8-70 hours for the perforated /gangrenous group.
The median preadmission delay was 12 hours and 25 hours for acutely inflamed group and
gangrenous /perforated group respectively, while the median post admission delay to the
theatre was 2 hours ranged 1-15 hours and1hour ranged 1-13 hours for acutely inflamed and
perforated / gangrenous groups respectively.
Patients arriving at hospital during the hours 08:00 to 14:00 from Sunday to Thursday waited
longer than those seen out of routine working hours before going to the theatre.
In conclusion, Increasing age and preadmission delay were both associated with an increasing
risk of perforated / gangrenous appendix. Cases of acute appendicitis should be given the same
priority as cases of peritonitis if morbidity is to be minimized.