Sikandar Ali Mughal, Sirajuddin Soomro.
Acute appendicitis in children.
J Surg Pak Jan ;12(3):123-5.

Objectives: To analyze the various presentations, operations and complications of acute appendicitis in children. Study Design: Descriptive study Place and Duration of study: Department of Paediatric surgery Chandka medical college hospital Larkana, from January 2003 to December 2004. Patients and Methods: Patients who presented with signs and symptoms of acute appendicitis and under gone surgery were included in the study. Those cases of appendicitis that were managed conservatively were excluded from the study. Results: A number of 30 patients were operated during the study period. Twenty three patients were male and 7 female. The age of the patients ranged between 6 to 14 years. Twenty patients presented with classical signs and symptoms of appendicitis, 5 with mass right iliac fossa, 2 with appendicular abscess and 3 with signs and symptoms of peritonitis. Twenty eight (93.33%) patients underwent appendicectomy while drainage of abscess performed in 2(6.66%) cases. Fifteen (17.8%) were simple acute appendictis and 13 (43.33%) found complicated. Five (17.8%) patients developed wound infection and one (3.6%) developed adhesive intestinal obstruction. Average postoperative hospital stay was 3 days. Conclusions: Appendicitis is the common surgical emergency in children. Diagnosis is mainly clinical. Wound infection is a common complication.

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