The diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children is frequently difficult to make, because the clinical histories are often atypical, physical findings are more variable and no specificlabaratory methods are available.
A clinical analysis was performed on 248 cases of acute appendicitis in children under the age of 15 at WMBH from January 1985 to July 1991.
@ES The results were summerized as follows:
@EN 1) The male to female ratio was 1.3 : 1.
2) The peak incidence was in the age group between 11-15 years and the incidence under the 5 years was infrequent, and the incidence showed progressively increased in proportion to age.
3) The overall perforation rate was 34.7%, and the incidence of perforation according to age groups was higher in the group under the age of 5(60%).
4) The average intervals between onset of symptoms and beginning of operative time were 1.3 days in nonperforated cases and 2.6 days in perforated cases.
5) The leukocytosis(over 10,000/㎣) was found in 75.3% of nonperforated cases and 86% of perforated cases.
6) The most common symptom of the perforated cases was RLQ pain, and the other symptoms were vomiting, fever, diarrhea, chilling and indigestion.
7) The misdisgnosis was made in 23 cases, 5.5%.
8) The pathologic diagnoses found in 248 cases were simple catarrhal appendicitis 17 cases, suppurative appendicitis 125 cases, gangrenous appendicitis 20 cases, perforated appendicitis 61 cases and periappendiceal abacess 25 cases.
9) The complication rate was 7.4% in nonperforated cases and 52.4% in perforated cases. The most common complication was wound infection.
10) Mean durations of post-operative hospitalization were 6.7 days in nonperforated cases and 9.9 days in perforated cases.
11) There were no post-operative deaths in this series.
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