CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL PRESENTATION AND MANAGEMENT OUTCOME OF APPENDICITIS IN GOMBE, NORTH-EAST NIGERIA: A 7-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE AUDIT.

BACKGROUND

Acute appendicitis is a common cause of acute abdomen and right iliac fossa pain in the study centre with attendant negative appendicectomies.

AIM: To study the demographic pattern, aetiology, clinical presentation and management outcome of appendicitis.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study carried out on patients, who had appendicectomies between January 2007 and December 2014. A total of two hundred and thirteen (213) cases were operated during the study period. Only one hundred and forty one (141) folders retrieved. Relevant clinical information were entered in to a proforma designed for the study. Statistical analysis was done using Epi info (version 3.5.1). Quantitative data were presented in frequencies and percentages,mean and standard deviations were calculated.

RESULT: Out of the 141 patients, 55 (39.0%) were males while 86 (61.0%) were females giving a M:F = 1:1.6. Their ages range from 8 to 65 years. The peak age group was 21-30 years. Acute inflammation was seen in 69 (48.9%) patients, lymphoid hyperplasia in 39 (27.7%) patients while parasitic appendicitis was seen in one (0.7%) patient. Post-operative complications observed include surgical site infection in 7 (5.0%) patients, delayed wound healing in 11(7.8%) patients and enterocutaneous fistula in one (0.7%) patient.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of appendicitis still rests on the pillars of thorough clinical evaluation. The judicious use of modern diagnostic equipment will reduce the rate of negative appendicectomies.