Risk factors of acute and perforated appendicitis in a semi-rural population: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the common conditions observed in the surgery department, which requires an emergency appendectomy with complicated appendicitis including perforated appendicitis is a cause of great concern involving severe morbidity and mortality. To improve our understanding of the sign and symptoms as well as the clinical findings of appendectomy, both in perforated and non-perforated appendicitis, this study was conducted retrospectively on the –patients who attended our hospital.Methods: T The demographic details of 184 the patients in this retrospective study were noted such as age, sex, weight and height, socioeconomic status, the sign and symptoms of the illness at the time of admission, time taken for the surgery to be performed after the admission was noted. All the investigations details such as random blood sugar, complete blood picture, hemoglobin, radiological findings abdominopelvic CT scan where necessary were also noted.Results: Out of the 184 patients admitted to our hospital for appendectomy 22% had perforated appendicitis and 78% had uncomplicated nonperforated appendicitis. The mean age of all the patients in the no perforated group was 30 ± 8.3 and 33±10.2 among the perforated group, with males being more affected than females. The most common symptom among all the patients was migrating pain in the abdomen, followed by anorexia, fever and vomiting. There was a greater time lapse between the onset of symptoms to the admission time in the patients with perforated appendicitis (4.9±1.6 days), compared to the non-perforated cases (2.4±1.8 days), with longer hospital stay and raised WBC counts.Conclusions: Proper education regarding the health and well-being of a patient of any age group should properly be given to the patient and their approach to the hospital at the earliest must be reiterated.