Publication:

A study on acute appendicitis in a tertiary care hospital in Tamil Nadu, India

Background Acute appendicitis is a common problem in children and early adult life. Appendicectomy is immediate or emergency procedure to reduce morbidity and mortality. The present study was conducted to find out clinical profile of acute appendicitis and complications of appendicectomy.

Methods This observational study was conducted among 100 patients diagnosed as acute appendicitis in tertiary care hospital during the year from 2001 to 2002. The clinical profile like age, sex, symptoms of the patients and post-operative complications were recorded. All patients underwent appendicectomy and followed post operatively.

Results Out of hundred patients, 55% were male and 45% were female. Nearly 71% of the patients belonged to the age group of 15-30 years.100% had pain abdomen, 81% had fever and 75% had vomiting. The post-operative complication was 3%.

Conclusions Acute appendicitis is very common in younger age groups shows that whenever young patients present with acute abdominal pain may be considered acute appendicitis. The complication of appendicectomy is very minimum and gives good prognosis.