Does Being a Refugee Increase the Possibility of Complicated Appendicitis?

Abstract

Background; Refugees may have problems in recognizing their illnesses and accessing treatment due to communication and sociocultural factors. Objectives; In this study, we aimed to present whether there is a difference in complicated appendicitis rates between Turkish and refugee patients. Methods; A total of 563 patients who underwent appendectomy surgery in our hospital between September 2018 and June 2020 and met the study criteria were examined. The patients were divided into two groups. Group-1 constituted of the Turkish patients, and Group-2 constituted of the refugee patients. The demographic, clinical, and histopathological characteristics of the patients were compared. Results; Group-1 had 489 (86.9%) patients, while Group-2 constituted of 74 (13.1%) patients. There were 278 (56.9%) male patients in Group-1 and 36 (48.6%) male patients in Group-2. Turkish patients' median age was 28 (18-81), while the median age of refugee patients was 27 (18-75). Intraoperative perforation detection ratio, open appendectomy ratio, preoperative C-reactive protein level, histopathological gangrenous or perforated appendicitis ratio and postoperative hospital stay length were found higher in the refugee patient group (p<0.05). Conclusion; Refugee patients are intense in countries such as Turkey; We believe that general surgery specialists should consider the possibility of complicated appendicitis in refugee patients scheduled for surgery for acute appendicitis.