Delay in Appendicectomy due to Pre-operative Imaging Results in Increased Complication Rate

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the frequency of delay in case of suspected acute appendicitis and to determine the frequency of complications in patients of acute appendicitis having delay secondary to pre-operative imaging. Study Design: Descriptive study Place and Duration of Study: Department of General Surgery Unit-2, University of Lahore Teaching Hospital, Lahore 1st January 2020 to 31st March 2021. Methodology: Three hundred and eighty five patients, between 18-40 years of age of both genders presenting with clinically appendicitis were included. All the patients were operated under general anesthesia by a consultant surgeon having minimum of 5 years of experience. Results: The mean age was 28.746±5.25 years. Majority of the patients were between 26-30 years (42.6%). Body mass index of the patients were ˃25kg/m2 in 57.7%. Delay was seen in 155 (40.03%) cases, peri-appendiceal abscess was seen in 10 (2.6%) and peritonitis was seen in 13. Complications due to delay was pri-appendiceal abscess 8 and peritonitis 13 with p value ˂0.05. Conclusion: Delay in the appendectomy due to pre operative imaging has shown significant impact on complications rate and therefore suggests that delaying appendectomy is unsafe. Keywords: Appendectomy, Peri-appendiceal abscess, Peritonitis