Acute Appendicitis in the Aged.
- Author:
Hoo Sup SIM
1
;
Young Kil LEE
;
Jung Yul HWANG
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Saint Columban Hospital.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Appendicitis;
Elderly
- MeSH:
Aged;
Appendectomy;
Appendicitis*;
Female;
Humans;
Incidence;
Leukocyte Count;
Male;
Postoperative Complications;
Saints;
Wound Infection
- From:Journal of the Korean Surgical Society
1998;54(5):695-700
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Acute appendicitis is a common disease, in general, but is rare in the elderly. This report is a clinical review of 148 patients over the age of 60 who, due to acute appendicitis, underwent appendectomies at the Department of General Surgery of Saint Columban Hospital from January 1993 to December 1995. The results are as follows: 1) The overall percentage of the patients over the age of 60 was about 16.4%. 2) The male to female ratio was 1:1.6. 3) The perforation rate was 33.1%. 4) The mean duration of symptoms were 2 days in non-perforated and 4.5 days in perforated appendicitis. 5) The chief complaints were pain (86.5%) and tenderness (88.5%) on right lower quadrant. 6) This disease occurred most frequently in spring and summer. 7) The highest incidence of leukocyte count was 10,000~15,000 per cubic mm of blood (50%). 8) The most frequent postoperative complication was wound infection as 14.2%. 9) sixty-seven cases (45.3%) were accompanied by concomitant disease, the most frequent being hypertention (14.9%). 10) The mean numbers of hospital days were 7.5 in non-perforated and 14 in perforated appendicitis.
